Star Wars the Old Republic: Dark Reflection
by dominicgrim
Summary: The third part in Avaryss' journey begins. Caught up in both war and an internal conflict, Darth Avaryss is forced to face new challenges as she journeys to her home world. It is here that Avaryss will face what came before, and learn that even a Sith must confront the past. Rated Teen for violence, language and some adult situations. I do not own Star Wars, I just play here.
1. My Own Worst Enemy

**A/N: This this the third story in the life and times of Darth Avaryss. If you have not read **_**Star Wars: TOR: A New Sith**_** and **_**Star Wars: TOR: Fear and Avarice**_** you may wish to before starting this one, my little Sith's journey began there. Well without any further ado, on to the next story!**

_A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away._

**Star Wars: The Old Republic: Dark Reflection**

**Total war! Once again the galaxy trembles as The Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire renew their conflict; the battle for the fate of the Galaxy begins again.**

**Throughout known space the Jedi Order battles the Dark Lords of the Sith, trying to bring a swift end to the conflict...**

**There are heroes on both sides, as the war continues to spread.**

**Over the skies of the Dromund Kaas, the Sith capital, a young Dark Lord returns.**

**Soon she shall face the challenges that shall reshape her life.**

**For once the final choice is made…**

…**all that remains…**

…**is darkness.**

**Chapter 1: My Own Worst Enemy**

_Where were you when the Emperor died?_

Darth Avaryss. Dark Lord of the Sith, and head of House Avaryss had been on mission. The needs of war had drawn her and her followers away from the Dromund Kaas.

It was not a mission that she had enjoyed. It had been a matter of punishment, She had been sent to…_educate_ one of the Empire's recent acquisitions, to show them what happened to those that dared oppose the Emperor's will during war time.

She had done what had been asked of her. She had destroyed a monastery, razed the village around it, killed those who had been left behind, and waved the Imperial flag. Though she had arrived too late to chastise the ones who had earned that punishment, the lesson **had** been taught, the rubble and bodies left behind would serve as an example to all who dared oppose the Empire and its servants.

She could still see the villager's faces, the ones that had been left behind. They had been puzzled by her presence. She did look like how most expected a Lord of the Sith to look.

Some might have even doubted that she was one.

Though her face was hidden behind a battle mask and hood, she could not hide her figure. She was young woman of average height, with an athletic yet curvy body. She wore a skin tight black leather combat suit with a crimson gambeson over it.

Despite the danger they faced, several of the men in the village had watching her, her figure inspiring lustful thoughts, she could sense them through the Force.

She preferred to inspire fear rather than lust, even though both were often close cousins.

Some men feared powerful women, and yet, they still **wanted** them.

That was their failing, she supposed.

No, she had not been trying to tempt her victims, that had not been her intent.

She was not like her apprentice, Xen. Xen was a beautiful girl and used that to her advantage. Her clothes, the way she moved and talked, it oozed both temptation and sex. Avaryss had never seen the need for that herself. Beauty was fleeting, she knew, power was eternal.

Her mask had hidden her features. She had tried to appear as a vision of power and death. She tried to show no weakness. The only clue that she had limits was the fact that she was missing her left arm. A battle injury that had forced her to wear a cybernetic replacement

That, more than her beauty should have drawn her victims attention, it showed how far she was willing to go for victory, how much she was prepared to sacrifice.

Yet, there were still men among these villagers that looked at her lustfully.

That was their mistake.

Regardless of what they might of thought or desired, the villagers had not been staring at her long. Her firing squad had seen to them, and their neighbors.

She did not bother to watch the execution, there was no need.

She had done her duty.

Now, she simply wanted to get back to her ship.

She had been on a shuttle, returning to her destroyer when she had felt it, a great disturbance in the Force. Though…perhaps the term shockwave was more appropriate, it had no doubt been felt throughout the known galaxy. Soon after, reports began to come in, an attack on Dromund Kaas itself. The skies above the planet alight with laser fire, of a Jedi strike team having made it to the surface.

It was said that the Emperor had been in the Dark Temple. It was rumored that he was finally taking a hand in the war, that he had crafted a spell to destroy the Republic and grant the Sith Empire absolute victory.

Avaryss did not doubt that. The Emperor was over thirteen hundred years old, he was an immortal, invincible, he had been born during the Golden Age of the Sith, he had been recognized by the legendary Dark Lord Marka Ragnos, whose century of iron rule was still talked about over a millennia later.

A lone Jedi Knight had breached the temple's defenses, his allies having slain the Emperor's guards and retainers. How a mere knight could have challenged the Emperor, Avaryss did not know, maybe the Emperor had diverted all of his infinite power to the success of the spell, maybe the Jedi had found him in a vulnerable state.

What happened next should have been impossible. The Jedi emerged from the dark temple, or so it was said, wounded but alive.

The Emperor did not, he sent no word of his survival, and his followers remained silent. No retainer stepped up to assure the people that the Master of them all was _**still **_with them, that he had survived the Jedi's cowardly ambush.

The Empire was met with silence.

The Emperor…was no more.

Less than an hour after the attack, the holo-net had been flooded with the image of Satele Shan, the Jedi Grand Master. Master Shan made sure that the entire galaxy knew that the Sith Emperor was no more. That a Jedi that had slain him, a Jedi that was now known as the Battle Master of the Jedi Order, had defeated the Emperor utterly, and destroyed whatever spell he was casting while it had still been in its earliest stages.

It was the greatest defeat the Empire had suffered in almost a millennia, even worse than Naga Sadow's defeat during the so-called Great Hyperspace War, or Darth Malak's defeat at the Battle of the Star Forge.

The Emperor was dead, and now…

…his people were left to their own devices.

Avaryss had not wanted to believe it; she had been born a free citizen of the Empire. She had been taught all her life to love and respect the immortal being that sat on the Sith Throne, her embrace of the dark side had not changed that.

She had **not **wanted to _believe it!_ She had almost **refused** to believe it. The crew, especially those who had grown up after the sack of Coruscant, had been left on shock. A few die hard imperials were unwilling to accept it, no matter what they felt through the Force. How could this have happened?

How had the damnable Jedi managed to destroy the Empire's guiding hand? It seemed impossible!

Pain and shock quickly gave way to anger and thoughts of revenge! The Jedi would answer for this sin! The Republic would burn! The Sith Empire would not take this insult lying down!

This is how Avaryss felt, what she desired when she was back aboard her destroyer, safely locked away in her private quarters. She was still a young woman, barely twenty, and the fires and passions of youth made her want to lash out at their hated enemy, make them all pay for this affront.

Yet, something inside her gave her pause, a part of herself that she still tried to deny stood up, emboldened by the news.

_Now you know how the Jedi felt when we sacked Coruscant_, that voice said, _now you understand __**their **__pain, __**their**__ anger._

_Is what you are feeling now any less than what they must have felt after that night?_

_Is your rage any less than what Fenn's was?_

Such treasonous thoughts enraged her.

_It is not my fault,_ she thought, _not entirely, she had never been able to completely able to separate herself from the light, from the person she had been before she had come to the dark side._

That weakness remained her greatest flaw, her one true enemy.

Despite her best efforts, the light still continued to burn inside her, it was a single glowing ember that she could not put out, a shard that could not be destroyed. It still tried to pull her in, like a flame drawing in a moth. Part of that was her own weakness; the rest was her connection to the Jedi Fenn Shadowstone.

_Fenn_, she thought with a shudder.

My love.

They had been connected since they were children; the Force had bound her to the boy from Corellia in a very subtle but strong way. They had dreamed about each other for years, since they were toddlers. Now, as adults, she found herself drawn to both him and the light. It was that connection that kept her tethered, kept her from reaching her true potential.

He desired her, they had spent enough time together for her to know that that was true, but at the same time he refused to give into that desire. He continued to cling to his Jedi ideals.

His stubbornness and strength both excited and frustrated her. He would no more give in to the darkness than she would give into the light. It had made their relationship a slow torture over the last year or so…

…that and his insistence to call her by her old name. It was her willingness to accept that she was still Keera Lylos that added to her problems.

It was…yet another weakness.

The shadow of Keera Lylos, the person she had been before becoming Avaryss remained, remained and continued to torment her.

Keera wasn't just a weakness though, she was Avaryss' **main** weakness, more so than the light or Fenn, and so far…she had been powerless to do anything about it.

She raged against that weakness now. She turned her grief and shock into anger and hate. She lashed out at her own quarters destroying the room in a fit of rage. She hated that she had not been on Dromund Kaas to help. She despised the council for sending her away when Republic Forces had been amassing.

_I should have been there!_

_I should have been able to help!_

The world turned red and for a moment she was not thinking she was all madness and grief, the world turned red and she destroyed everything in sight.

She was not sure how long her rage had lasted, but she awoke from it in her destroyed quarters, the sound of her personal communicator chiming.

They had received new orders her captain had informed her.

They were to return at once to Dromund Kaas.

Avaryss' response came back on audio only, she did not want her officers to see her like this, they did not need to see her so disheveled and in pain. She gave the order to return, and then immediately contacted the cleaning droids. It would not do for someone to see her quarters in such a state.

She was a Dark Lord of the Sith after all.

She had to keep up appearances.

She spent the rest of the trip back in deep meditation, trying to focus her power and prepare herself for what came next.

_What would the Empire's response be to this outrage?_

_It would have to be something dramatic of course._

_How else could the Empire reclaim their lost prestige?_

She found herself thinking about the dark council, what **their** response would be to this tragedy.

That thought worried her more and more.

As a full Darth, she answered only to the Dark Council and her master, in that order. Her master, Darth Feer might sit on the council, but she did not think for a second that he was interested in preserving the Empire.

No, her master would have saw this as an opportunity, and he was likely not the only one.

The Emperor had died without issue. He had not taken an apprentice or fathered any children. As a result the line of succession was not clear. Add into that the fact that the Emperor had remained silent for so many years, and you had a recipe for disaster.

It was just like the old saying said: Where some see tragedy, a wise person sees opportunity.

There was no doubt in her mind that many eyes were now turning to the Emperor's vacant throne. If the Sith were not mindful, they would find themselves embroiled in a Civil War, not a smart thing since they had resumed open hostilities with both the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order.

Our enemies would welcome a Civil War, she knew...

It would now fall to all loyal Sith to ensure that such a war did not break out.

It fell to people like her.

She had tried to contact Darth Marr, the one council member she could trust. In the last few years, the Lord councilor had been building…a cabal of sorts. They were a group of Sith dedicated to preserving both the Empire and the Sith way of life. The cabal's original goal was to deal with the continuous silence from the Emperor, to make sure that no overly ambitious lords got ideas that jeopardized the Empire's future.

She did not know everyone who had joined them, but…their duty was clear.

The Empire needed to be preserved, no matter the cost.

Now they would need to step up that game. The cabal would need to keep the more ambitious and destructive lords away from the throne. They would need to guide the Empire down a successful road of succession. It hurt to consider such things so soon after the Emperor's death, but they had little choice.

Their rivals would not be sitting idle; even now they were likely scheming and moving.

The cabal could not afford to wait.

Marr had been away from Dromund Kaas when the attack had come. He had been engaging Republic forces on the edges of their empire. Those lords left behind had clearly not been up to the challenge of stopping the Jedi's sneak attack. Not that she was overly surprised; the council had seen much turnover in the last year. Many of the old guard had perished, either through battle or their own failed schemes.

Those losses had left the Empire vulnerable, and now…they had paid a heavy price for that vulnerability.

Angral, Vengean, Baras, Scotia, Thanaton, so many of the veteran Darths had been killed. Angral and Vengean, and Baras had started this war; Angral with his strikes against the Republic, and Vengean and Baras with their plots and schemes. Avaryss had heard of something called _Plan Zero_, she did not know the details, but the results were plain to see.

The Empire had once again found itself at war.

It was a war they had not been truly ready for. Too much had been lost, Angral had squandered some of their best weapons trying to take revenge for his son, and Baras; he had been the worst of them all!

He had used the chaos of plan Zero to try and declare himself the Voice of the Emperor. He had overreached, and had been punished for it, killed by his own apprentice, now known as the new Emperor's Wrath.

The warmongers were now dead, but their legacy remained, the Empire was left trying to clean up their mess.

The Sith that replaced them were not ready for what came next, defeat and betrayal had befallen the Empire. And now…with the death of the Emperor…they were on their own.

_And yet, your master still draws breath_, a familiar voice whispered in her ear.

_Your cowardice shames us all, Avy, you are unworthy of the name of Darth._

Avaryss growled angrily, that voice…that _**damned**_ voice!

"Shut up Keera, she snarled.

"**You're not helping."**

Every time she closed her eyes she could see Keera Lylos grinning at her.

Seeing that face, those blue eyes, that smug smirk…

…It was all Avaryss could do not to scream.

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?!

WHAT WILL FREE ME FROM THIS MEDDLESOME FARM GIRL!?

Her rage continued to build.

Damn Marr!

If he had been on Dromund Kaas the Republic would not have breached their defenses!

We were supposed to be defending the Empire!

Now the Republic would be twice as dangerous, this victory would embolden them!

A horrible thought occurred to her.

What would happen if the Supreme Chancellor ordered a second attack on Dromund Kaas!

What if they attempted a second Sith holocaust!

The empire had barely survived the first one, and that was because the Emperor had been there to help them, to guide them to safety.

No, she thought…

….NO!

IT CAN'T HAPPEN AGAIN!

She imagined Dromund Kaas burning! She imagined Ziost burning!

She imagined Korriban blasted down to its mantle!

The visions horrified her.

She…she could see Oridanna burning!

The world of her birth was dying!

It was going to die!

Avaryss had thought little of Oridanna in the last five years, except for those few moments when Keera seemed to be so close.

She could almost hear it. The lullaby sung by her mother, and inside it, her words.

Come home, Keera, she needs your help.

Come home!

Avaryss opened her eyes, she was gasping; her heart was pounding in her chest.

She tried to rise from her meditation only to fall back to her knees.

She…she…

She gasped, trying to breathe.

It…it felt like she was having a panic attack!

Come home Keera!

She needs you!

Come home!

She was not sure how much time had passed, how long she had been meditating.

Her communicator was beeping.

The bridge was trying to contact her.

She forced herself to breathe, to be calm.

Panic would not serve her, not now.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

She was weeping child.

She was Darth Avaryss.

She would be damned before she let a few fevered visions break her.

She was a Dark Lord of the Sith!

She would not be stopped.

She used the Force to pull the communicator to her.

"Yes, Captain," she said into it, "What is it?"

"We have reached Dromund Kaas, my lord," the Imperial said.

"Your shuttle is prepped and waiting to take you down to the surface.

Avaryss nodded.

Yes, that is what she needed now.

She needed to see for herself, to see what the Republic and their Jedi lapdogs had done!

She needed to burn those memories into her mind; she would use them to fuel her power, her rage and hate.

This war was **not** over.

It was just beginning.

"I'm on my way," she said into the communicator.

"Inform the Commander and Colonel Glasc." She said rising to her feet, dusting off her robes and armor.

She needed to be ready.

They needed to be ready

"We are going down to the surface."

IOI

Avaryss boarded the shuttle without a word to anyone.

She would have preferred using her Fury class Interceptor, but that was not possible. The ship was not even aboard the destroyer. Her pilot Thranton Rink had taken it when he went off in search of his Twilek lover.

Avaryss had allowed it, but now wished she hadn't.

A shuttle was not a Fury, with all the chaos down on the surface, who knew.

She had enemies.

What if one decided to remove her from the board?

One by one her crew had left her, drawn away by their own dreams and desires. Rink was somewhere hunting his little Twilek. Lieutenant Commander Holli was currently assisting with a refit to her master's dreadnaught the Terror. Beric Lylos, her elder brother, had rejoined Imperial Special Forces. He had been on Taris again the last time she had heard. HK Sigma 3, her loyal assassin droid was on assignment, she had sent it deal with a Republic businessman who had threatened her interests in Thunn Cyber Systems, she had not heard back from the droid since it had left.

Her apprentices, Xen and Necris were also away, like so many young Sith; they had been deployed by the Dark Council. They had both been Jedi once; their knowledge was invaluable in dealing with their ancient enemy.

Avaryss had understood the need, too many of their order had not had any real battle experience; having two seasoned fighters could make all the difference between victory and defeat. Of course there was another possibility.

Darth Feer, her master, sat on the Dark Council.

He could have used his position to isolate his old apprentice. He might have sought that, to leave her vulnerable.

If that was the case, this summons could be a trap.

Darth Feer was not above such a scheme.

He had never approved of her being made a Darth so early. It was part of the reason why Darth Marr had done it, to distract him, and prevent her master from carrying out his plans.

Her promotion had created a rift between the two. Feer had never really trusted her after that.

And now she faced a council summons. Marr was not here to protect her, or to keep the peace.

_Could this all be a mistake?_

_Could she be walking into a trap?_

She didn't want to think so, though she could not deny that she was naked without her loyalists at her side.

You will just need to be careful, the darkness whispered in her head.

You will need…to be mindful.

The shuttle launched without issue.

Avaryss found herself travelling with two of the highest ranking officers in her house.

Strangely enough, that did not put her mind at ease.

Both of these had their own ambitions and plans, they were useful to her, but…

She did not trust them…

They had not earned her trust yet.

"This is shuttle DS-Five to citadel control," she heard her pilot say from the cockpit, "Requesting landing clearance and a berth."

"Shuttle DS-five, this is Citadel control, please state your cargo and destination."

Avaryss frowned when she heard the controller's words.

The young man was trying to keep his voice level, but it did not change what she both heard and could feel.

Fear.

When she reached out with the Force, all of Dromund Kaas was radiating with fear.

It seemed that she was not the only one that was worried about a second Sith holocaust.

She did not blame them for their fear, but she was sickened by it.

We are Sith! We are conquerors.

It is our enemies that should be afraid!

"We are here on business for the Sith Order," her pilot replied, " We have Darth Avaryss on board, she is answering a summons from the Dark Council."

Avaryss' eyes widened in surprise.

Fool, she thought.

If anyone was listening, especially and enemy, they would now know she was here.

If this was a trap, she was now in the perfect position for it to be sprung.

She would need to discuss this with the pilot when they reached their destination. He could just have easily said that he had a Darth on board, or simply flashed her code clearance for the Citadel, but he had not.

She hoped that his mistake would not be her undoing, and even if it was not, he would not likely survive the conversation they would have.

Avaryss did not tolerate fools for long.

There had been a brief pause, perhaps Citadel control had been checking out her orders, maybe even contacting the Dark Council, the members that were here anyway.

"Shuttle DS-Five, please set course two seven one, proceed on that heading, we are transferring you now to a new operator."

Avaryss frown deepened.

They were not going to the Citadel?

This could be either very good, or very bad.

"We are not heading to the Citadel, my lord," the pilot called out to her.

Avaryss sneered.

I have ears soldier, she wanted to say.

I heard what was said.

At her side her two officers regarded her, though different as night and day, they did answer to her, usually.

They were likely as curious as she was.

"This is most irregular," the armored trooper sitting next to her said.

"If the council is on a ship, why summon us all the way back here?"

"Because they are the Dark Council, Bleez," Avaryss replied.

"Even a Darth is bound to obey them."

Commander Bleez was her Warmaster, recruited by Avaryss from one of the most fanatically loyal units in the Imperial army. The Two had met on Corellia, during the Kaggath between Lord Kallig and Darth Thanaton. House Avaryss had stood with Kallig, the former pleasure slave turned dark lord had had access to technology she had desired.

Bleez had also fought for him. The ruthlessness and cunning the trooper had shown that day had impressed Avaryss, despite the fact that Bleez was not Force sensitive.

Her choice of War Master was surprising to some, but only until they had seen the trooper on the battlefield, or listened to the War Master's counsel.

Say what you could about the Bleez, but the soldier did know how to wage a war.

Clad in the armor of a simple trooper, Bleez had led House Avaryss to several victories in the last few months. The decision to wear such plain armor was a bit of an enigma, much like everything else about Bleez. Since joining House Avaryss, the dark lord had never seen Bleez without a helmet; in fact she had never seen Bleez real face.

She had no idea what was under that mask. She could not say if Bleez was human or alien, male or female?

All she knew was that the war master got the job done.

That was all that mattered to Darth Avaryss.

"It is not our place to question the Council, War master," her second companion said.

"They have their reasons."

Avaryss regarded the man sitting across from her, about ten years her senior and clad in the uniform of Imperial Intelligence.

Colonel Henin Glasc was the polar opposite of Bleez. He had not been recruited, but forced on her by her master. Glasc was a loyalty officer, assigned by Darth Feer on behalf of Imperial Intelligence. Avaryss' history of coming up with unorthodox methods of doing things had prompted Colonel Glasc being here.

Handsome in his way, with blond hair and blue eyes, many said that Glasc resembled a young Grand Moff Vaiken, the father of the Imperial navy; alas he had none of the man's courage or ingenuity.

The man was a rabid dog, she thought, her master's attempt to put a leash on her. Normally, a Darth would be free to remove such annoyance, but that was not the case here. Glasc came to her service with powerful friends at his back. His father was a member of the Admiralty, his older brother a high ranking official in the office of logistics. He was also, ironically, a cousin of Darth Feer's wife, the Lady Synestra.

In other words, he was untouchable.

The situation galled her.

Glasc adjusted his cap for the twentieth time; he brushed non-existent dust from his spotless black uniform.

He regarded Avaryss coolly.

"The Council will not be happy with what happened on Asrat, My Lord," he informed her.

"What do you intend to tell them?"

"The mission was a success, colonel," she reminded him, "that is all that needs to be said."

The loyalty officer frowned.

"The Lord Councilors may not feel that way," he reminded her, "You were sent to make an example of the Children Asrat, and yet, you failed, they had escaped before we even arrived."

Avaryss gave him an equally cool look.

The mission had been bad from the start. The Children of Asrat were a holy order, a group of children born under the light of some passing comet, their numbers had been between the age of ten and eight.. When their world had fallen to the Empire, an Imperial officer had gone to them, to demand their submission to the Emperor and the Sith Order.

The children had responded by saying that they would offer no blessing to the Emperor or the Sith. They stated that the Emperor would be denied their love and succor for his outrageous attack on their home.

Their response had been enough to draw the Sith down on their heads. Avaryss had been dispatched to kill them all, to leave their heads on pikes outside the nearest village, as a warning to any who would dare question the Emperor, or seek to deny him anything.

The mission…had sickened her. It was not a legitimate military target, and as for punishing an enemy of the Empire, she did not see the value in killing a bunch of snot-nosed brats.

She had barely been able to think during that mission. Keera had been talking in her head constantly, condemning her for even thinking about killing children.

In the end, she had not needed to.

The Children had already fled by the time the Sith had arrived, taken off world by some smugglers with ties to the Republic.

Avaryss hated to admit it, but she was grateful that they were gone.

She had not looked forward to killing a bunch of children, holy or not.

Though she had slain children in the past, those had not been face to face kills. They had been collateral damage; those lives had been lost in explosions that Avaryss had set. It was not the same of beheading children with her lightsaber.

She was grateful she had not needed to do that.

She was very grateful.

She glared at Glasc.

"Hear me well, Colonel. You will say nothing of this to the council. It was my mission, and I will speak for what happened. If you value your life, you will say nothing when we meet with them, am I clear?"

Glasc sneered at her.

He knew an empty threat when he heard one.

Avaryss did not have the power to simply eliminate him.

He _**knew**_ that.

"I will do what is best for the Empire, my lord," he promised her.

Avaryss frowned.

That was not the answer she had wanted.

"My lord," Bleez said from the seat next to her, the soldier was pointing.

Avaryss eyes widened as she looked up.

Oh my.

The shuttle was moving in a stationary orbit to the planet, outside the windows the wreckage of many ships floated, some Republic, most Imperial, the result of the holding action the Republic had used when their assassins went down to the surface.

As they stared out the cockpit, space in front of them began to shimmer and shift, light bent as a large space station materialized almost out of nowhere.

Avaryss blinked.

At least now she knew where they were going.

The Emperor's cloaked fortress appeared before them. It was here that the Master of them all had lived in seclusion since the end of the last war.

The young Dark lord had heard of this place, but had never seen it until now.

Why would the council summon me here, she wondered.

What sort of game are they playing?

Both Bleez and Glasc were silent; they also understood how unusual such a summons was.

The Emperor was dead.

Who would have the guts to move into his station so soon after his death?

She did not think that she wanted to know.

Station control hailed them as they finally came into communications range. The shuttle was assigned a landing bay; an honor guard was waiting to escort them to the throne room.

Again Avaryss felt strangely uncomfortable.

The throne room, she wondered, why would we be meeting there?

Shouldn't the throne room be closed off?

Shouldn't this entire station be on lockdown, its staff and guards in mourning?

That is how it should have gone, but things were rarely what they seemed.

Avaryss said nothing as they made their final approach.

Whatever was going on, it was not good.

The Force shifted uncomfortably around her, whatever was going to happen...one thing was for certain.

Her life…was about to change.

**A/N: Hello again dear readers; I did not want to keep you waiting. I'm going to try to make Dark Reflection a…darker story than the previous two. A new chapter of Rogue Jedi and the Shyra Viel one shot should be up soon. In the meantime, shoot me a review and tell me what you think of this first chapter, until next time dear readers.**

**May the Force be with you.**

**DG**


	2. The One on the Throne

**Chapter 2: The One on the Throne**

"Welcome Lord Avaryss, we have been expecting you."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed as she stepped off the shuttle with Bleez and Glasc in tow.

She wore her armor and mask, but even that could not entirely hide the tension in her spine.

The sight that greeted her was surprising.

The station had not looked damaged from space, its armor remained pristine, its turrets and launchers intact.

What she saw made no sense.

A whole section of the hangar had been roped off, the deck filled with bodies. Avaryss counted no less than thirty bodies, and she could see at least ten more being carried in by Imperial troopers.

She turned to the Imperial lieutenant who had been sent to greet her.

"What is going on here," she demanded, "Did the Republic manage to land troops during their raid?"

"No, my lord," the young man replied, "The station's cloak held, no enemy troops managed to land here."

"Then why are there so many bodies? What happened here?"

The officer shifted uncomfortably.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed beneath her mask.

"Well," she said, "I'm waiting."

The man coughed, and stood up straighter, trying to appear more brave, perhaps.

"We believe it was the Emperor, my lord," he said.

"What about the Emperor?"

"Well…um…when the Emperor, when…when he…fell…the servants that he left behind here must have sensed it. It…being…his death. When we arrived we found only bodies, and the dying. They…they…it looked like they killed themselves, my lord."

The man shifted uncomfortably.

"Perhaps they did not wish to outlive their master."

Avaryss' hands curled into fists.

She had long heard tales that the Emperor's retainers were some of the most loyal of his servants, the ones that he trusted to serve at his side without fear.

_What a waste_, she thought.

_How many of these people had been Force users? How many could have aided the Empire in seeking their revenge against the Jedi and the Republic?_

An angry breath hissed from her mask.

Avaryss considered herself a patriot. She often put the needs of the Empire ahead of her own, but that did not mean that she was willing just to kill herself to appease a man that could no longer honor her sacrifice.

That…was _lunacy_, bordering on **stupidity.**

The Emperor was **dead.**

_That did not mean that she was readily willing to join him, not yet._

_They still had a war to win, and an Emperor to avenge._

_It was those things that mattered to her now._

_They were all that mattered._

Fools, she thought, regarding the bodies again.

You have all died for nothing.

She turned back to the lieutenant. She was not entirely satisfied with what she was seeing.

"Are they all dead then?" she inquired, "Everyone that was here when the Emperor…was taken from us?"

"We…we are still trying to figure that out, my lord," the young officer replied, "The computer system here was destroyed when we arrived, we have little to go on. Though one of the ships in orbit did detect several shuttle launches after the battle, after the Republic fleet withdrew, and the station decloaked."

"So there were survivors then," she said, "Or deserters?"

"We are still trying to determine that, my lord. One thing that we have discovered is that there were no royal guards among the dead. The Emperor only took a single detachment down to the Dark Temple; there should have been at least three more detachments of guards here."

"So the shuttles that launched likely carried members of the Royal guard," Avaryss said, a statement, not a question.

"It appears that way, my lord."

Avaryss frowned, unsure what to make of that.

The crimson clad royal guard had been made up of the most loyal soldiers in the Empire. It was said that the Emperor had driven everything from their minds but their fighting skills and their duty.

If anyone should have committed suicide to be with the Emperor in death, it was them.

Their flight, if it was them aboard those shuttles, did not make sense.

Why would the guard just leave the station after their master's death?

And…more importantly…where would they go? Where would the Emperor's finest flee when he had no further use for them, and why?

So many questions, she thought…

…And so few answers.

She turned back to the officer; she put the full weight of five years of Sith training and power into her voice.

"You said that I'm expected?"

"Yes, my lord, your presence is requested in the throne room."

"Then lead the way," she said, "Time is of the essence."

"Yes, my lord," the officer said snapping off a smart salute.

"This way please."

The three and their escort started off, Bleez to her right, Colonel Glasc on her left.

Avaryss tried to keep her eyes forward, not wishing to appear as some bumpkin gawking at the grandeur of the Emperor's home.

"Please switch to your private channel, my lord," she heard Bleez say in her ear.

"There is something we should discuss privately."

The Sith Lord nodded, and used her chin to toggle one of the buttons built into her mask. The one she was currently wearing was an improvement over the original in that it had a trooper's communications rig built into it. Few people realized that Sith Troopers could engage a sort of privacy mode when they were out in public, no sound would emerge from their helmets; all communications would then be routed through a personal audio communicator. It allowed them to issue orders and discuss matters without anyone around them hearing what was being said, unless they had access to the frequency of course.

Avaryss used that private frequency now; or rather one that Bleez had come up with when the trooper had been given the title of Warmaster for House Avaryss.

"Yes, Bleez," she said into the microphone, "what is it?"

"Do you truly think that the Royal Guard have fled the Empire, my lord?"

"It is possible, Bleez, but where they would go, I cannot say."

"This cannot be allowed," the Warmaster said grimly, "Any surviving guardsmen must be hunted down and destroyed immediately."

Avaryss blinked.

"That…that is a little extreme, is it not, Warmaster? Those men and women were the most loyal soldiers in the Empire."

"To the Emperor, my lord," Bleez replied, "Not to the Empire as a whole, the matter of succession is muddled enough without adding the guard into the mix. If they should choose to support a candidate for the throne, or oppose the candidate that the council wants…"

Avaryss nodded.

She could see the Warmaster's reasoning, but…

She doubted that the matter of succession would be decided so easily, or quickly.

Many dark lords would soon be vying for the throne; even those on the Dark Council would likely be tempted.

"I will discuss this matter with Lord Marr," she promised Bleez, "In the meantime; we should focus on showing unity. The Empire is reeling, and in shock."

It needs _**our **_support to sustain itself. The matter of succession will be decided soon, and in the meantime, the council shall remain in control."

"What if certain council members use this as an opportunity to stage a coup? Surely we should move quickly to prevent that, eliminate those that pose the most likely threat. Perhaps Lord Marr and the rest of your allies will agree with this strategy."

Avaryss found the urge to spin around and glare at her Warmaster, She had never told the trooper about her involvement with Marr and the rest of the cabal, and now it appeared that Bleez had deduced what was going on anyway.

She was not sure if she should be angry about that or impressed.

_You chose Bleez for this post for a reason_, the darkness whispered in her ear, _do not be surprised when your trooper performs that duty, you did not want a sycophant after all. _

"As I said, I will discuss this with Lord Marr. I'm sure he already has an idea how to keep our worlds spinning."

"As you say, my lord," her war master responded, "Bleez out."

Avaryss heard a click, signaling that the trooper had switched off the privacy mode.

Avaryss did the same.

Once again she took in the cold grandeur around her; the dark side was very strong here. The Emperor's presence had left its mark on this place.

"It was wise that we secured this place so quickly," Colonel Glasc said in a soft voice, "This station is a symbol to all the Empire. It belongs in the hands of those strong enough to hold it."

Avaryss nodded, though she thought the loyalty officer's view was limited.

"It is not just a symbol Colonel," she reminded him, "It was from here that the Emperor guided us, his libraries and secrets belong to the Dark Council now, at least until a proper to the throne can be chosen."

Glasc gave her a cruel smile, the cold weaselly eyes of his seemed to glint with excitement.

I don't need to remind, my lord that power is never given, but taken. We should all be ready when the time comes. We must be prepared to support whoever emerges from the fight that is surely coming, for the good the Empire, of course."

"Perhaps," Avaryss agreed, "But at the same time, we cannot afford to get sidetracked, there is still a war going on after all. We cannot afford to show weakness to our enemies. The Jedi and Republic are still out there.

"We cannot afford to be divided now."

The Colonel sneered at that.

"The Republic is a bug waiting to be squashed; we proved that during the last war. Had the Emperor not insisted on a treaty, we were in a perfect place to crush them, as for the Jedi, they do not have the stomach for a prolonged war. Our forces will overwhelm them.

"Have you ever fought a Jedi, Colonel?" Avaryss asked him.

"Well…no…but I…"

"I can assure you, they are far more dangerous than you give them credit for. Despite what our propaganda may say, the Jedi and Republic are far more…formidable than you think."

"I saw a single Jedi cut down a full squad of Imperial troopers," Bleez added, "Good men all, and well trained."

The trooper turned to Glasc.

"You should try facing one alone, I'm sure that they would be most impressed with your name and breeding, and when it was over, no one would miss you."

Avaryss suppressed a chuckle, as Colonel Glasc's cheeks burned. He glared at Bleez but said nothing more.

He was a loyal man, but at the same time his arrogance got the better of him sometimes.

Henin Glasc was true son of Dromund Kaas, he had grown up here, and believed everything that the Imperial information service, and its propaganda machine had fed the people these many years. He believed completely in the Empire's invincibility and infallibility.

Avaryss was not so naïve, she had seen too much.

The galaxy was not as simple as Glasc and people like him believed.

Being born to privilege and prestige did not mean that you were invincible. She had seen enough Dromund Kaas born Sith die in the last year to know that that was true.

A Jedi Knight would not care who Glasc's family was if they fought. They would certainly not care about his breeding as they cut him down with a lightsaber. The Jedi were not to be underestimated, she had fought both beside them and against them.

She knew how powerful they could be.

Jas Dar Bynn was formidable.

Shyra Viel, the damnable mongrel, was formidable.

Fenn Shadowstone was…

He…

He was Fenn.

When he finally submitted to her, he would give her strong sons and daughters, fierce and cunning; they would be the future of not just House Avaryss, but of the Empire as well.

He body warmed at the mere thought of it.

My love, she thought.

May the Force reunite us soon.

The lieutenant said nothing as he guided them down the stations great halls. Finally they came to a door bearing the sigil of the Empire; two armored Sith Marauders stood defending the door.

Avaryss smiled slightly at the sight of them.

Both were wearing royal guard breastplates, though she doubted that either had served on the guard itself, the Emperor would not have chosen such men to defend him.

He had been smarter than that, or had he, considering how his life had finally ended.

Only time would tell, she supposed.

The Marauders both wielded force pikes, they crossed them, barring Avaryss and her fellows entrance.

"Your trooper will remain out here," the Marauder on the left growled.

"This one is not authorized to see the council." The one on the right added.

Bleez stepped forward.

"I am Warmaster for House Avaryss," the trooper said, "Show me the proper respect, or I will rip out your tongues."

The Marauders looked surprised; they started to raise their pikes.

Bleez struck first.

The trooper had been wearing a similar weapon, the extendable pike clipped to the Warmaster's thigh. The Marauders had been too close, and had underestimated the one they saw as a mere trooper.

Bleez dodged their first attack, and struck the guard on the right. The pike the Warmaster wielded was on its lowest setting so it only threw the Sith back. The second used the Force to get around behind Bleez and come charging in, likely trying to jab the Warmaster between the armored plates on the trooper's back.

Bleez did not even bother to turn, in a show of great dexterity, the trooper drove a powerful thrust kick into the marauder's belly, before he could recover, Bleez' pike lashed out striking the marauder in the chest.

He went down with a heavy clatter of armor and moans.

Avaryss smiled slightly.

She did enjoy watching Bleez work.

The fools, she thought, they should have used the Force to cow Bleez First, and now, they were about to answer for their arrogance.

The trooper's the extendable pike was once again sheathed, a knee came down on the Marauder's belly, he was still too dazed to respond.

The Warmaster pulled out a vibro-blade, the long dagger shaped weapon's point now rested on the Marauder's chin.

"I warned you," Bleez growled, "Now open your mouth! You tongue is mine."

The fallen guard pursed his mouth shut; the blade did not leave his chin.

Colonel Glasc paled.

"Bleez…really isn't going to…?"

"Yes," Avaryss purred cruelly.

"I think Bleez will."

"Open your mouth," Bleez snarled, "Open your bloody…"

"Warmaster!"

Bleez looked up, the lieutenant, that had escorted them had pulled his sidearm…

…It was now pointed at Bleez' head.

"These men should not have disrespected you, but they were only doing their duty."

Bleez laughed, a cold harsh sound considering the full helmet.

"Do they really need tongues to defend the council? I don't think so."

The marauder's eyes widened, he had not really believed Bleez threat until that moment.

Poor him.

"Never the less, please, Warmaster," the lieutenant said both politely, but with some steel in his voice.

His blaster never wavered from its target.

A brave man, Avaryss thought.

She made a point to ask the Council about this man later.

The Empire needed more like him.

"Let that man up," he repeated, "Please."

Bleez glanced over at Avaryss who nodded.

It would have been interesting to see the council's reaction to her Warmaster's bloody trophy, but…

…It might distract them from the matters at hand.

Bleez rose, leaving the two men groaning.

"You are soft and lazy," the trooper said coldly, "You would not have survived five minutes in the back alleys on my homeworld."

The trooper returned to Avaryss' side.

Avaryss grinned at the lieutenant, he could not see it with her mask on, but he could likely hear the amusement in her voice.

"We are ready to meet the council now," she said innocently.

The door behind them hissed open. Avaryss and her party turned and entered.

The guards outside stumbled back to their feet, they were both glaring at the Sith and her trooper.

_Let them glare_, Avaryss thought.

_House Avaryss is not a clan to be sneered at._

_We may be small, but we are ambitions._

_We will grow._

The throne room was almost as big as the main hangar. Designed in traditional Sith Style, a central walkway led up to a dais, and on that dais, the raised throne.

It was a throne that currently faced away from them.

Avaryss frowned as she made her way forward.

Where were the council members?

They had summoned her here?

New guards were posted on the various raised platforms and in the alcoves that the royal guard would have stood; they like the two Marauders outside wore either the helmets and or breastplates of the Emperor's protectors.

Avaryss sneered at them.

The Emperor would have been insulted had he seen this. She understood the need to keep this station secure, but at the same time…

…And where were the Council Members?

Who had summoned her here?

She was about to call out, to demand what was going on, when the throne finally rotated around, revealing the one who summoned her.

Avaryss' jaw almost dropped and would have had she not been wearing a full helmet and mask.

Her master sat upon the Emperor's throne, he was grinning from ear to ear, his yellow eyes glowing in the dim light like two golden stars.

"Welcome, apprentice," Darth Feer said jovially, "Welcome to the Emperor's station."

She stood there in shock…in disbelief!

"Master…" she gasped, "That…that is the Emperor's throne!"

Feer chuckled.

"Yes, I know," he said running his hands down the arm rests.

"Uncomfortable thing, you would think the master of us all would have sought out a more cushioned seat."

Avaryss still could not believe what she was hearing, what she was seeing.

Was her master mad!

"My lord…the Emperor!"

Feer gave her a cold smile.

"The Emperor is **dead**, apprentice, remember? I don't think he is any shape to care who is sitting in this chair."

She swallowed hard still not believing what she was seeing.

Yes, she knew very well that the Emperor was dead, but at the same time.

Childhood fears rose up and almost consumed her.

The Emperor was no mere Sith; he had not been for many centuries. He was immortal, all knowing, and invincible!

What if his death was a ruse of some type, some trick to fool the Jedi?

What if the Emperor still lived…in some form or another.

It might have been her imagination, but she could almost see two giant glowing Sith Eyes staring out of the shadows, glaring at both her and Lord Feer.

Keera's voice rose up in her mind, but for once, both she, and who she had once been were in total agreement.

"He will kill Feer for this insult," Keera voice gasped.

"He will kill you both."

Part of her wanted to fall to her knees and beg the Mater of them all for forgiveness and plead for mercy!

She did not care if that made her seem weak!

The Emperor was almost a god.

You insulted a god at your own peril.

Feer likely felt what she was feeling; the bond between master and apprentice was strong.

He laughed at her fear.

"Ah the fears of youth," he said dismissively, "I assure you apprentice, the Emperor is indeed gone, and even if he is not, he has no followers left here to punish us for our…transgressions. The Emperor's Voice, his true voice has not been heard in years. His hands are all likely dead, among the bodies you saw on your way in. The Royal Guard has fled, probably seeking either penance or gone off to commit some type of ritual suicide. The Emperor's Wrath lives, but has already contacted us through her Twilek slave. She stands with the Dark Council, and the Empire, it is justice that the wrath seeks, not the throne.

Feer grinned triumphantly

We have nothing to fear; or rather…I have nothing to fear.

He glared down at her.

"You on the other hand."

Avaryss felt her temper beginning to rise.

"I'm not the one sitting…"

"Forget the throne," Feer snapped, "You forget your place apprentice, Darth or no, you are still mine, still bound to the rules of my house."

Her master sneered at her.

"Address me as proper, Avaryss, or face my wrath."

He is not bluffing, she knew, she had been his apprentice long enough to know when her master was not being serious.

His threat was real, and she did not wish to face it.

Not now.

Avaryss did what she always did when addressing her master, what she had done since she they had first met back on Korriban, when he had first taken her as his student.

She dropped to one knee, and bowed her head.

"Master," she said, "MY Lord Councilor, what is your bidding?"

She could feel the disgust that Keera felt in that moment.

_You still don't have the guts to stand up to him, _that voice whispered.

_Just __**do**__ it, pull your weapon, and kill him already!_

_Haven't we suffered enough!_

Feer did not hear that, he never seemed to hear Keera. He never sensed he emotions.

Avaryss had never been sure what to make of that.

Feer leaned back on the throne; he radiated a sense of contentment.

He was pleased for now.

"What I want to hear is a mission report," he said, "You were sent to Asrat, I would hear what happened."

He smiled.

"Report…Colonel Glasc."

Avaryss just started to speak when she realized what her master had said.

Colonel Glasc?

"We carried out the council's orders," the loyalty officer began, "We arrived on Asrat as we were instructed, and went down to the surface, both to seize the temple and punish the juvenile priests for their lack of vision."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"Master! I…!"

Feer stopped her with a raised hand.

"You will have chance to give your report in a moment, girl," he said.

"You will wait your turn."

Her master's dismissal enraged her.

Girl, he had said.

GIRL?!

She was a Darth of the Sith Empire!

No one dismissed her like that!

She tried to rise but found she could not, she felt the full weight of her master's power…pinning her in place.

She could not move; she could not even blink.

No, she thought.

NOOOO!

"Were you able to find the priests," Feer asked, "Are the so called, Children of Asrat, dead?"

"They were not in the temple when we arrived, Lord Councilor. Warmaster Bleez and I rounded up what locals we could, the bulk of the people had fled before we arrived. Lord Avaryss confronted them, demanded to know where the priests had gone, but they would not talk."

"None of them," Feer asked, "None at all."

"At first, my lord," Glasc admitted, "Darth Avaryss did discover what had happened."

"And that was?"

Avaryss hissed; she tried to speak, but found her mouth was equally frozen.

She was enraged.

Her power was building, but so far it was not near strong enough to free herself from her master's stasis field.

She might never be strong enough for that.

"Lord Avaryss offered to free any local that told her what she wanted to know. The people remained resistant, until she killed one of the village elders, a man that sought to reason with her, convince her that she did not need to do this."

Feer chuckled.

"I take it that motivated the people. Did we get any takers after that?"

"One man spoke up; he sought protection for himself and his family. He informed us that the children had been evacuated days earlier, but Republic agents."

"And did Avaryss spare him?"

"She did my lord."

"And the rest of the villagers?" Feer inquired.

"She ordered Bleez to kill them all, the man's family included. He tried to attack her when he realized what was going to happen. She cut him down with her lightsaber, but only after he got to watch the rest of his people die."

Avaryss hissed.

She had been sent to punish Asrat, she had done that.

She had.

She had carried out he orders.

Despite Keera's whining and bleating she had not hesitated.

She had done her duty.

Feer turned to her; he seemed not so belligerent now.

"Is that true, apprentice?"

She gasped; her mouth was once again free.

She looked up at her master.

"I was sent to send a message."

"I did just that, I…"

Feer gave her a disgusted look.

"Take off that stupid thing," he said gesturing to her mask, "I can barely understand you when you have it on."

She did as she was order, her hands had been freed enough to do that at least. She took off her mask and helmet and sat them on the floor before her.

Feer looked at her with a mix of distaste and disappointment.

Avaryss could guess why.

When she had first entered his service, she had been completely under the sway of the dark side. Her skin had been the color of polished bone, her eyes blazing like a crimson inferno. In the years since, she had…changed. Her skin had regained some of its former color, more peach than bone, and her burning eyes had turned a deep deep-purple, a blend of red and the blue which had been her natural color before she had taken up the ways of the Sith.

Her new appearance was all Keera's fault.

There were times when the young Dark Lord could not access her powers. She was cut off from some of her more dangerous spells. By not continuously submerging herself in wellspring that was the dark side, some of Keera's features had started to return.

"I will reclaim my life, Avy," those were the words that Avaryss had heard when she first started to notice the change.

"I don't care what you think. I will not spend my life looking like a corpse with burning red eyes.

She had tried to counter her former self's work, but had had little success.

It was that reason that she had taken to wearing a helmet and mask more and more in the field. It was not only safer, but it hid the most visible sign of her weakness.

Feer now saw the change.

He did not look pleased by it.

"Look at you, apprentice," he spat, "What have you done to yourself?"

Avaryss did not answer.

How could she explain?

He turned back to loyalty officer; Glasc was smirking, too many times had _**he**_ been on the receiving end of Avaryss' anger and taunts.

He enjoyed seeing her brought low, Avaryss could feel it.

She would make answer for that enjoyment, one day.

"Did you try to locate the children? Did Avaryss try to find out where they had fled to, who had dared take them away from Imperial justice?"

"She did not, my lord," Glasc answered, "But I took it upon myself to try and find out what had happened, so that we could find these priests later. A was able to find a security recording from the local spaceport; I was able to identify the ship that had taken the children off world."

Feer smiled.

"I'm guessing it had not been a standard Republic vessel."

"It was not my lord, it was the ship known as the True Heart. The one crewed by the failed Jedi Smugglers True Halcyon and Mox Devrn'alya."

Feer scowled at Avaryss.

"Your old friends are back," he purred, "And they have made a fool of you…once again."

Avaryss snarled.

"They are no friends of mine!"

Feer did not acknowledge her; he turned back to Colonel Glasc.

"Thank you, colonel," he said, "As always, your reports are always, very enlightening."

Glasc bowed.

"It is an honor to serve you, Lord Councilor."

Feer once again regarded his apprentice.

His eyes were cold and unreadable.

She did not look forward to what was likely coming next.

"You may leave Colonel," Feer ordered, "And take the Warmaster with you; there are some matters that I wish to discuss with my apprentice…alone."

Bleez took a step forward.

The trooper did not look pleased by that announcement.

Feer gave the soldier an icy smile.

"You have nothing to fear, trooper," he said flashing his most reassuring smile, "All I wish is to speak with my student, alone, nothing more."

Bleez looked down at the kneeling Avaryss, she nodded once again.

Avaryss was no fool.

If Feer wished her dead, she would be dead.

Bleez was skilled, but was no match for a member of the Dark Council.

Colonel Glasc executed a crisp military turn, and left the chamber; Bleez followed, but only after Feer dismissed his guards.

It was clear that what he had wished to say was not for prying ears, whether they be friend or foe.

By the time that Bleez left, all of her master's guards had left the chamber as well. She was left alone with the Dark Councilor, her master.

Feer glared down at her. She still could barely move.

"Behold the mighty _**Darth**_ Avaryss," he said, the extra emphasis he made on her title making it seem more of an insult than an honor.

Feer rose from the throne and came up beside her. He had his lightsaber in hand, it was not activated, but it did not need to be, not yet.

Avaryss, tried not to appear frightened. She did the only thing that she could do in such a situation.

She flipped back her hair, and offered her master her slender neck. She hoped that her sign of submission would be enough to please him.

VMMMMMM!

He ignited his lightsaber.

It did not seem that he would be so easily swayed.

She only just suppressed a whimper.

I did my duty, she wanted to shout.

I carried out my mission!

Doesn't that count for anything?!

Congratulations, Keera voice said sweetly.

You just got yourself killed.

Avaryss refused to whimper, refused to show any fear.

She would not give her master the satisfaction of it.

If he was going to kill her, fine.

She would die a Sith, no begging, no pleading.

She accepted her fate.

A Sith knew no fear.

Her master stood before her, the light of his blade bathing her skin in ruby light.

He looked down on her with a sad frown.

"What am I going to do with you, apprentice," he asked.

"What can I do?"

She had no answer, none that could save her life, anyway.

Perhaps that was for the best.

"Do you remember the night that I told you of my ambitions, when I told you that the council was simply a stepping stone for us. You supported me then, daughter, don't you remember that?"

"I remember," she said quickly.

"I remember…father."

Feer shook his head.

"You have changed in the last few years, my dear, and not for the better. There was time that the dark side and the Empire was all you cared about. You were strong and ruthless. You were a hero to many a young hopeful, a symbol of what hard work and determination could do for a daughter of the Empire."

He sighed.

"What happened to you? You returned from the Inferno Nebula a different person, it was not simply the fact that you had lost an arm or that you had spent time as a prisoner of the Jedi. No…something _**else**_ happened, and you have never told me what it was."

Avaryss frowned.

What could she say?

Her life had changed so much since the defeat of Darth Terrog.

She had been forced to retrain herself after the loss of her arm. Her lightsaber skills were not what they had been, not by a longshot, add into that the fact that she and Fenn had spent so much time together, shared their first real kiss.

What changed after the Inferno Nebula?

Try everything.

Feer would not understand that.

Her master continued to stare down on her; he radiated both anger and disappointment.

"You were not the youngest Darth that was ever proclaimed, but it is clear to me now, just as it was then, that you were not ready to take up the title. Marr only proclaimed you a Darth to spite me."

Feer's eyes glowed brighter at the mention of his fellow councilor, he and Marr's relationship had deteriorated in the last year, or so he thought.

In truth, Marr had neither liked, nor trusted Darth Feer. He only named him to the council so that he could keep an eye on him. He knew her master's ambitions. If Darth Marr had just seen what she had seen, he would have never of tolerated it, her master sitting on the Emperor's throne.

He likely would have challenged Darth Feer, possibly even killed him.

_If only I was that luck_y, Keera said.

The young Sith Lord ignored Keera's prattling.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed, her master's condemnation firing her temper.

"What happened on Asrat was not my fault," she said.

"How was I to know that the True Heart would be there?"

"That is true," her master agreed, "but this is far from the first time. These Jedi have been running rings around you for months. They have been making you look like a fool, my child, and when you look like a fool, it reflects badly upon me."

The Lord Councilor shook his head.

"If it is not Halcyon and Devrn'alya, it is Vey Ilo and Shyra Viel. If it is not Shyra Viel and Vey Ilo, it is Jas Dar Bynn and his Padawan…what…what is the boy's name again?"

Avaryss held back an angry growl; her master knew who Fenn was.

He was simply seeking to torture her further, to twist the knife even deeper.

Feer raised his blade, he let it rest just over her right shoulder; a single dip of it would take her right arm off at the shoulder.

She thought of her left arm, how it had felt when it had been cut away.

She had no desire to feel that again.

She did not think that Feer would do that, but she could see it.

Perhaps he would even consider it just punishment for her recent failures.

"This has nothing to do with Fenn Shadowstone, my lord," she said.

Her Master grinned.

"Fenn, yes, that is indeed the boy's name, thank you apprentice. I know these Jedi aided you during the Battle of the Inferno Nebula, but you must remember that was an alliance of convenience, not allegiance or loyalty.

"I know, my lord," she said, "They are my enemies. They mean nothing to me."

His eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Perhaps I should send assassins for these Jedi, maybe that would end your recent string of failures, show them we are not to be trifled with.

The thought of him sending assassins after Fenn worried her, but she did not dare show it.

If she showed that weakness, her master would carry out that threat. She did not doubt it.

"Give me another chance, my lord," she asked, "I will make sure that these Jedi never interfere in your plans again."

Feer sighed.

"I'm afraid you are out of chances, at least in this matter, my dear. Your betters will be handling Jas Dar Bynn and his friends."

Her master deactivated his lightsaber and stepped away from her. She felt the pressure holding her down finally dissipate.

She took a deep breath and tried to keep from falling over, to hold herself up in her kneeling position.

She looked up at her master.

He returned to the throne and sat back down.

"The council has a new task for you, my child," he said, "It is important, but it will take you away from the capital for the foreseeable future."

Feer grinned.

"All those plots and plans you have been hatching will have to wait; we have need of the old Darth Avaryss. I'm hoping she is still inside of you…somewhere."

Avaryss swallowed hard ad looked up.

She was worried about Fenn, but again, could say nothing, show no weakness.

She was Sith.

If she showed weakness, she was lost.

"Whatever you need, my master, I can do." She promised.

"Good," he said smiling pleasantly.

"There has been a series of…accidents within the Itae system recently. Accidents that have resulted in the deaths of several top Imperial officials."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"Republic saboteurs?" she inquired.

"Nothing so mundane," Feer said coldly, "No, we believe these deaths are the result of something more insidious. The Moff of the system has reported to have received communications from these…terrorists. They are not mere saboteurs, but self-styled dissidents, rebels."

Feer hissed the last word, it sounded like a curse on his lips.

"Resistance, rebellion," he spat, "These are ideals that the Sith cannot tolerate, these criminals must be crushed before their crusade can gain any more support."

Feer leaned forward on the throne.

"That is where you come in, my child. This rebellion appears to be based on the farming world of Oridanna. You are familiar with this world, are you not?"

His grin widened as he saw her eyes do the same.

"Oridanna?" she gasped.

"Yes."

"Oridanna is rebelling against the Emperor?"

"The Emperor is dead, apprentice; these rebels are fighting against the Empire. They are fighting against us."

"That cannot be allowed to continue."

Avaryss tried to wrap her mind around what she was hearing.

Oridanna…was in revolt?

Impossible!

Keera Lylos had been born on Oridanna.

Its people were all ardent imperials.

There was no way that they would rebel!

It was not possible!

Feer chuckled.

"Keera Lylos was born on Oridanna, was she not?"

Avaryss nodded.

"Good, then you should feel right…_at home_ on this mission."

He laughed again.

"Prepare yourself, Lord Avaryss.'

"You're going home."


	3. Conflicted

**Chapter 3: Conflicted**

_Home._

It was a concept that Darth Avaryss had not thought about much. For the longest time she had looked at the Sith Order as her home. She lived where ever the masters sent her, carried out her orders and duties to help make the galaxy Sith, to finally free it from the lies and corruption of the Republic and the other governments that sought to spread chaos and disorder throughout the stars.

She had done her best to forget Oridanna, to forget her homeworld.

Now…she was being ordered to return, to put down a rebellion, a rebellion that should have been impossible.

Oridanna had been one of the most loyal worlds in the Empire.

She could not accept that her people would turn against their lords.

Again she heard the distant strains of music, her mother's…Keera' mother's voice.

She…she tried not to listen, not to think about it.

_We're going home_, Keera whispered in the back of her mind.

_I will be twice as strong there, Avy. You might as well let go right now. Your life, and body, will be mine._

Once again, she ignored Keera.

_It won't be that easy_, she thought.

_This visit will be no social call, I will be working._

_I will show you what the Empire does to rebels._

Avaryss frowned.

_Resistance._

_Rebellion._

_It made no sense._

She could not accept that Oridanna was in rebellion, that a rebellion would even have had the strength to form on her homeworld, her _**former**_ home world.

_It is still our home world_, Keera said, _don't forget that._

It was all she could do to keep from shouting at Keera to shut up.

Feer _**had**_ to be wrong; her people would never turn against the Empire.

_My people __**are**__ loyal, __**too **__loyal._

_They would never have done something so foolish._

She once again focused her eyes on her master, ignoring the music and voices that plagued her.

"How is this possible, my master," she asked.

"How could a rebellion have formed on Oridanna, the people are almost loyal to a fault."

Feer chuckled.

"I believe you are looking at Keera Lylos' former home with the eyes of a child, apprentice. I'm guessing that Andur Lylos did his best to isolate his children from the realities of the place they called home."

Avaryss had no answer to that.

She refused to acknowledge Andur Lylos as her father before Darth Feer, it all felt like a trap to her.

He wants me to say something out of turn, she thought.

He wants to catch me saying something good about Andur Lylos.

She would not do it,

She would not be so easily manipulated.

"Imperial Intelligence has been dealing with the problems on Oridanna for quite some time," Lord Feer informed her, "It was small things at first, treasonous words scribbled on walls, defacing Imperial monuments in Danna City and other population centers."

"Troublemakers," Avaryss shrugged, "I'm surprised Imperial Intelligence wasted any time on the matter. Surely the local magistrate could have handled the problem."

"He had claimed to," Feer admitted, "Right up until when Darth Angral was killed, right up until the moment that true war against the Republic seemed certain."

Feer shook his head.

"Damn Angral," he spat, "I understand the desire to avenge a child, but this…this…his actions placed us all at risk."

"I'm sure Lord Tarnis' death, hit the father very hard, my lord," she replied, "It is understandable him wishing to avenge him."

"Avenge, yes, but also to acknowledge that his son had been a fool. Tarnis had been embedded at the very top of the Republic's special weapons programs. He could have kept up the ruse for years, continued to smuggle us weapons designs, and at the same time make sure the Republic version never worked like it was supposed to."

Feer shook his head.

"The boy could have returned to the Empire as a conquering hero, but instead he turned over all that he had collected to his father and as a result gotten himself killed. I think that you will agree apprentice that that was not bravery on young Tarnis' part, it was stupidity."

"Angral did provide the Empire with _the Desolator_ weapon, my master," she reminded him.

"And what a boon that was," Feer snorted, "Angral did not share the design with anyone else, and as a result, it died with him. The fool did not even manage to accomplish his final mission, and destroy the Jedi Temple on Tython."

Feer frowned.

Angral not only squandered his son's work, he ruined the boy's legacy. All that Lord Tarnis will be known for now is the fool that helped provoke the Empire to war before we were ready, and don't even get me started on Vengean and Baras."

Her master growled.

"The only thing good to come out of Baras' defeat, besides his death, was that the Emperor was forced to choose a new wrath, one more interested in the serving the Empire, and not wasting her skills strictly on the Emperor's whims."

Avaryss nodded. Though she had not met the new Wrath yet, she did know of her.

Lord Marr had already recruited her into their Cabal, or so he claimed.

When she did swing her lightsaber next, it would be in the service of the Empire.

_Poor Baras_, she thought_, the two of them had done some work together, he had never been a friend, but that did not mean that she had not come to have respect for the cruel old Kath Hound._

His attempt to claim the title of "Emperor's Voice" without actually consulting the Emperor first was a fool's ploy, and he had answered for it with his life.

_Such is the fate of all traitors,_ she thought.

_Good riddance to all._

"I still can't believe that Lord Baras was so foolish," she said, "Trying to declare himself, the Voice of the Emperor."

Feer laughed coldly.

"You should have seen it apprentice. After all of his posturing and plans started to fall apart, Darth Baras demanding that we, the Dark Council, defend _**him**_ from his angry young apprentice, demanding that we defend "The Voice" and ignore "the Emperor's Wrath. The fool clung to his attempted deception right up until the very end, up until the girl cut him down."

Her master chuckled.

"I will not miss his grating voice at Council meetings; that is for sure.

"It must have been a grand sight, my lord," Avaryss said, "But speaking of the Emperor's Wrath, has she managed to find _the former_ Wrath? I have heard nothing since I heard the rumor that he had been replaced."

Feer's amusement faded.

"If only she had, apprentice. It is believed that the former Lord Scourge was among the Jedi Strike team that breached the dark temple. He and one of the Emperor's own children, a girl named Kira Carsen; they may have been the ones that led the Jedi to our master."

Avaryss' eyes widened.

Now this…this was _**new**_ news.

She had heard stories of the Emperor's children, force users chosen to speak for the master of them all. They allowed themselves to be trained as vessels of his will, and had been, next to his sworn minions, been his greatest asset, or so rumors claimed.

If what Lord Feer said was true?

Both Scourge and the Carsen girl's lives were now forfeit. The Empire would need to hunt them down, and not only them. Any friends or loved ones would need to be destroyed as well, preferably while these two traitors watched.

Her frown deepened.

It would not bring the Emperor back, but it would be a start. It would be the first step on the road to true justice.

"Enough about dead fools," Feer said, "As for Carsen and Scourge, they will be dealt with when the time is right. We need to focus on things that we _**can**_ change, dealing with live fools, and not dead ones, particularly these fools on Oridanna, these…would be rebels."

Yes, Avaryss thought.

Baras and Angral were dead, best forgotten. Scourge and Carsen would be joining them soon.

The Empire had a new threat to deal with, it was best to get started on that now.

Scourge and Carsen would die screaming…later.

For now, they had other matters to attend to.

"After Angral's defeat, there was an upswing of rebel activity on Oridanna, and not long after, other populated worlds in the Itae system. Shipment delays, equipment breaking down, or being stolen, and then…recently, things got serious."

Feer's frown deepened.

"There were two terrorist bombings on Oridanna, one at a spore processing plant in Worro, and the destruction of an Imperial recruitment center in Danna City."

Her master's finger curled around the armrest of the throne.

"Now…with the Emperor dead, I believe that our troubles will only get worse. His end will no doubt embolden the culprits to more acts of violence."

"Have we heard anything from these…rebels?"

Feer nodded.

"After the second bombing, Moff Galek received a transmission from them."

Avaryss; eyes narrowed.

"What were their demands?"

"They want a reduction of the quota system, the removal of all Sith Enforcers from both Oridanna and Pholis, and most important of all, my removal as chief administrator and lord of the Itae system."

Feer laughed at that last part.

"As you can guess, the Moff will not be able to meet their demands."

Avaryss considered what she had heard.

Neither Oridanna nor Pholis had ever caused problems for the Empire before. Oridanna's population had been loyal and as for the aquatic Pho of Pholis, they were not warlike, in fact they had been a protectorate of the Sith since Grand Moff Vaiken's time. They had asked for his protection after the Sith discovered them.

Neither world seemed the type to produce rebels.

She considered the terrorists demands, perhaps there was a way to draw them into the open, or at the very least cut some of their support.

"Perhaps we should take some of the fuel out of the fire, my lord," she said.

"Eh," he said, "what do you mean, my child?"

Avaryss shrugged.

"We **could** reduce the quotas," she suggested, "As for the enforcers, we could pull them back into Danna city, give the people time to calm down, and see the danger that these rebel's pose.

Her master frowned.

"You think that we should just…submit, give into these criminals' demands?"

"Of course not, they will need to be hunted down and killed. I'm merely suggesting that we win back the hearts and minds of our people. We compromise. If we can do that, the rebellion may flame out and die. We could…"

Feer glared at her.

She fell silent.

So much for negotiation, she thought.

_Did you expect anything less?_ Keera asked.

_No,_ Avaryss thought.

_No, she did not._

Darth Feer had never been the most rational of Sith, he saw what he wanted and he took it, sometimes regardless of any consequences. His time on the dark council had only expanded his ambitions and made him harder to reason with.

She should have guessed he would not be up for negotiation.

"_Remember what he did to mother and Father_, Keera whispered.

"_Remember what he did to my sisters."_

She did.

She had never forgotten.

Pamir, Talitha, and Anj…Anj had been only a toddler, just a baby.

And Feer's enforcers had killed her.

They had killed everyone.

Feer continued to glare at her. She could feel his anger growing.

She bowed her head.

"I meant no disrespect, my lord, I merely offered…"

"_**AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**_

Avaryss screamed as she was blown back across the chamber, her body caught in a maelstrom of Force lightning. Her mechanical hand was left twitching uncontrollably, it was trying to restore functions; the lightning had momentarily shorted it out.

She lay at the bottom of the walkway, her body sparking, her nervous system almost completely overloaded.

_Fool_, Keera spat.

_Bloody fool!_

_Do you want to die?! __**Stay down!**_

She tried to rise.

Her master raised his hands and blasted her for the second time.

She cried out as the lightning wrapped around her, made even worse by the fact that she was laying on a metal platform.

She was not sure how long she lay there, writhing in agony, but finally the pain, stopped, she gasped and looked up.

Feer was glaring down at her.

"Compromise," he hissed.

"COMPROMISE!"

He tried to blast her again, but this time she managed to roll out of the way, and find her feet.

"Master! Stop!" she shouted, "I was merely...URK!"

She felt the Force wrap around her throat, she gasped, as all of the air was crushed out of her.

She tried to summon the Force to shield herself, but again he proved too powerful.

He lifted her up like she was a rag doll, picked her up and pulled her to him.

She stopped just short of slamming into the throne; she floated before him, unable to move.

She was completely in his power.

He was on his feet again; he looked as if she had become a complete stranger. She saw neither affection, nor recognition in those eyes.

_My master was always dangerous_, she knew that, _but the power of being on the dark council had sadly gone to his head._

She doubted if anyone could reason with him now.

He pulled her in close so that only she could hear him, his eyes ablaze with both rage and the dark side.

"Listen well, my dear apprentice," he purred, "I…**don't **compromise. I will have these terrorists' heads on pikes; I will have their families and friends burned to death as they watch and all before they take their final breath. They will know the price of crossing me. They will know fear like never before, and in that moment, they will realize something else…."

He smiled coldly, leaning in even closer.

…"Feer…is not to be trifled with."

Avaryss couldn't move; she had had no warning about her master's attack. She had gotten no warning in the Force. The vicious lightning attack had left her limbs tingling, she was unable to move.

She could however talk…mostly.

"I…I understand…my lord."

Feer gave her a disgusted look.

"I doubt it," he said coldly, "Once again you have shown to me that you have lost your taste for blood. The events of the last few years have taken the animal out of you."

"I…I have never failed, you," she reminded him, "Whatever you have asked of me, I've done, and I've never hesitated."

He sneered.

"I can feel the conflict within you, my dear. I can feel that you are grateful that you did not have to execute the child priests of Asrat. Why is that may I ask?"

She could try to lie, but if she did, she feared she would not leave this chamber alive.

She tried the truth instead.

"I had no desire to butcher children," she hissed.

"And what of the villagers that you slew," he demanded, "Weren't their children among them?"

There were, master."

"So why did you slay them; did they not deserve your mercy as well?"

Avaryss frowned.

Her master did not understand, maybe he never would...

Killing them was not part of my mission," She reminded him.

"But you did kill them?"

"I did, but only after their elders refused to tell me what I wanted to know. All those people had to do was tell me one little thing, and I would have left their mud hole of a village intact. They chose to oppose me, they chose their fate, and they paid the price for it."

Avaryss glared at him, her purple eyes flashing, red flame flickered around the irises.

"You think me weak? I'm not, I merely choose my targets carefully, and wait until the time is right."

She smiled cruelly at him.

"That is something you need to remember, Father."

Feer's eyes widened, he looked at her with a sense of cold suspicion.

Avaryss realized what she had done; a chill ran down her spine.

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. She was enraged, and had _**not **_been thinking.

She had just threatened her master. He had heard it, and would not mistake it for something said only in the heat of the moment. He knew her.

He had to know how serious she was.

She waited for his blade to rise. She waited for him to lash out, to punish her for what she had said, for daring to challenge a dark council member, the man who had made her what she was.

Feer did not do that.

He smiled, his golden eyes flaring brightly.

He laughed.

"And **there** she is," he said, "_**There**_ is the girl that I trained. I'm glad to see she is still in there, somewhere."

Feer gestured, she found herself flung away from him again.

She hit the bottom of the steps, hard; her right cheek struck cold hard metal. She hit so hard that she bit her tongue.

She lay there for a moment, both bleeding and groaning.

Yet, she was also angry furious!

You will pay for this one day, you Hutt spawn, she thought.

You will pay for this with your life!

Feer returned to his seat, he looked down upon her from on high, his expression…amused.

"Despite your recent failure and disappointments, I intend to give you one last chance, my child. Carry out your mission, bring this rebellion to heel, and you will have regained my trust, and in the process proved yourself worthy.

She coughed and spat blood on the metal deck plates.

"Worthy, of what?" she demanded.

"The Itae system, of course," he replied jovially, "For the moment the system remains in the power of an enforcer of mine, Darth Sadi. It seemed an appropriate position, given her new station."

She managed to find her way to her knees, her eyes never left Darth Feer, this time she kept both her mental and Force shields up.

She would not be surprised by Feer for a second time.

"And what station might that be, my master?"

He laughed lightly.

"Sadi has recently take control of my son's training. She is tutoring Bael in the art of rule."

"Who knows," her master shrugged, "Maybe she will break my dear son of some of his less than desirable attributes."

Avaryss was surprised to hear that.

She knew that Bael had recently completed his trials on Korriban. He was a young man now, sixteen years old, but…

"Your lady wife is not proceeding with young master Bael's training?"

"Synestra has done all she can for our son," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "It was as much his choice as it was mine. He wanted to be taken in by a new master. Under Sadi he will learn what it means to rule."

Avaryss only just managed to suppress a smile.

Despite what her master said, she knew Lady Synestra. The woman would not be happy that her darling boy had a new master.

No, she would not like it at all.

Sadi's post had not been finalized, perform well on Oridanna, end the rebellion and I will consider you for it. Your time and experience will serve you well there, I think.

"Your enforcers will not like that," Avaryss said, "Having me looking over her shoulder, questioning her orders."

"Which is why you will not be working side by side," Feer informed her, "You are to take control of the enforcers that are stationed in Danna City, and you will work with them and Moff Galek's people. Find this rebellion and its leaders, figure out what they are trying to accomplish and put a stop to it."

Feer smiled slyly.

"Also keep an eye on the various overseers and peacekeepers on the planet; I do not believe for a second that the rebellion has gained traction on its own. Find those that are aiding the dissidents, and…"

"Dispose of them," Avaryss said was a nod.

"It will be done, my master. It will be my pleasure."

"Will it now," Feer said with a slight tilt of his head.

"We shall see."

Avaryss had finally managed to find her feet, she wiped at her bloody mouth, and the whole right side of her face felt tender. It would likely turn into one big bruise.

"I will need my crew back together," she said, "If you could issue a recall order for them…"

"I'm sure that Bleez and Glasc will serve you well," he said cutting her off.

"I'm sure," she agreed dryly, "Never the less, I will need more help, my apprentices for example."

"If they are not otherwise engaged, I see no reason that you shouldn't have them at your side. Though, I would advise you to consider taking a _**new**_ apprentice, one trained on Korriban."

Feer smiled.

"Having a student from Korriban is a status symbol in the Empire, and far more valuable than those two failed Jedi that you are teaching."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

Xen and Necris would not like this.

She had managed her charges well, had kept them competing with each other to such a degree that neither of them would be comfortable joining forces to take her down.

It was a risky strategy, but one she played well.

Adding a third apprentice to the mix could be dangerous, it would upset the balance she had cultivated. Xen was a warrior, hot tempered and on the edge of madness, but predictable. Necris was…spooky, her obsession with death magic had seen her powers grow; Avaryss would guess that her strength and knowledge of the dark side had doubled in the last year.

If taking a new apprentice turned the two against her, it would not be worth it.

She would need to proceed carefully, see what she could do. Once again she questioned Feer's motives.

Was he trying to set her up?

"I will send word to Moff Galek to expect you. Do keep in mind that you are not the Dark Lord of Oridanna, you are there on behalf of the Dark Council and the Inquisitorius."

Avaryss smiled.

"So I'm serving as an Inquisitor?"

In the matter of the rebellion," her master nodded, "yes."

Avaryss nodded.

She could work with that.

"You may not even need your old apprentices," Feer informed her, "The four enforcers that are on Oridanna are quite skilled. If you give them a chance, they will serve you well."

Avaryss smiled.

Like she was actually going to trust Feer's hired help.

No, she would need her own people. Despite what her master said, she would need Xen and Necris.

She also wanted Beric back as well, her older brother might appreciate a chance to visit their old home, and besides, his skills as an intelligence commando would come in most handy if they were to unmask the source of this rebellion.

Yes, she thought, I'm going to need them all back.

She would get in touch with Commander Holli, if anyone would be able to get messages to her old comrades, it would be her.

The changeling engineer was one of her most loyal underlings.

Avaryss was sure that she would support her in this endeavor.

She knelt before her master, for the moment he seemed appeased.

"I will do as you say, master," she promised, "I will contact the academy on Korriban; see if I can find a new student, after that, I will make my way to Oridanna.

"Excellent," her master said, "Do remember apprentice, that your purpose there is not to take command but deal with the rebels. Moff Galek and his people are there because I need them to be there."

Feer gave her a cool look.

"I would be most disappointed if they were to be removed, am I clear?"

Avaryss held a smiled, but inside, she was seething.

And so he ties my hands, she thought.

What if Galek was the one behind the rebels?

She was ordered not to rock the boat, but what if it was necessary?

She would need to find a way to make this work.

"I will leave at once, my lord," she said bowing.

"Work quickly apprentice," he ordered, "We cannot afford for this rebellion to spread, the flow of food stuffs and medicines produced on Oridanna must not be interrupted. We still have a war to win, after all."

They will not be," Avaryss promised, "You have my word. I…I will…"

Avaryss blinked, she felt a tightness in her chest, her head was pounding.

No, she thought.

No!

Not again!

She tried to fight tried to resist, but again that resistance proved futile.

She found herself once again lifted off the deck; she struggled in Darth Feer's Force grip, but to no avail.

He pulled her close again, for a moment she thought he was going to fling her down again, that or force her to humble herself at his feet.

She found herself floating before him; once again she was unable to move, unable to even draw her lightsaber.

Feer pulled on her arms and legs; it felt like they were being stretched on some ancient torture device.

"Master," she gasped, fighting the pain.

"Why?!"

Why are you doing this?!"

Darth Feer chuckled.

"Because I can apprentice," he informed her, "Do I need any other reason?"

The pain intensified, it felt like her arms were about to be torn out of their sockets.

She gritted her teeth, fighting with all her might to free herself, to no avail.

"I require only one thing before you go," he informed her, "Consider it payment for your failure on Asrat."

She could barely hear him, her pain was so intense.

It felt as if Feer had come up beside her, that he was whispering in her ear.

"Scream for me, my child," he purred, "Let me know that I'm hurting you, and you want it to stop."

Feer laughed.

"Scream for me, and you can be on your way."

No, Avaryss thought.

NEVER!

"I will not break, she thought defiantly.

I will not.

Feer held up one of his hands, he began to close his fingers.

The pain intensified it was agony, she could barely think.

"Come now, my child," he said, "Give me what I want."

She fought on, not wanting…not wanting to…

She could feel Feer's breath on her cheek, he was so close.

"Come on," he murmured.

"Just one…little scream."

Avaryss heard it, the pained wail; at first she did not recognize it, the voice.

She heard it again and again, a loud scream of agony and torment.

It took her a moment to grasp that it had come from her mouth. She almost couldn't believe it

The pain stopped she found herself flung back down onto the deck.

She lay there, unable to move, as the darkness closed in.

Feer stood over her.

"Let this be a lesson to you, my child," he said, "Do not disappoint me."

Feer turned away.

"Take her down to medical," he ordered, "and then contact her people, let them know she will be ready to travel sometime tomorrow."

Avaryss tried to rise, tried to strike back at him, to make him pay for causing her such pain without good reason.

She could do nothing.

The last thing she remembered were the medical droids coming for her, that and Feer's grinning face.

_Smile while you can, my master_, she thought as the darkness finally claimed her.

I will deal with the rebels, and then…it will finally be your turn.

She welcomed that day, it would be glorious.

She finally lost consciousness, and in the darkness Keera was waiting.

She was not afraid.

Oridanna will not be the release you think it will be Keera, she thought.

Like Lord Feer your time is running out, and I'm the hour glass.

See you soon, she thought.

See you both soon.


	4. What You Love

**Chapter 4: What you Love**

_She had lived this day before._

Avaryss stood on the main landing pad for the Sith Academy. She could still hear the party sounds from inside, the toasts and the arrogant patting themselves on the back. The celebration was still in full swing, the lords and their allies celebrating the downfall of Darth Terrog.

Avaryss knew what was going on, because she had lived this day before. This was the night that she had been named a Darth of the Sith Empire; it was the night that Lord Feer had been named to the Dark Council…

It should have been a night of pure pleasure and revelry; she had achieved her main goal, the goal she had chased since first leaving Oridanna all those years ago.

She was a Darth now, a Dark Lord of the Sith.

It should have been enough for her.

It should have been enough period.

_I'm dreaming again_, she realized…

…_wonderful._

She was once again clad in the red shimmer-silk dress, the white silken half cape hanging from her shoulders, and of course, the shoulder plates identifying her new station, so like the ones worn be Feer and the others at official functions.

Marr had surprised her by presenting her with those that night. She had expected a mere lordship, but instead he had chosen to elevate her even higher. She was not the youngest Darth in the Empire, but she was likely the youngest one whose master still lived.

She caught her reflection in a chrome plate on one of the cargo crates that had been unloaded today. If this was a dream that would explain her features, when Marr had pronounced her a Darth she had still had her bone white skin and red eyes, the change that had come over her since had happened slowly, and over the next year, yet the reflection before her at that moment showed purple eyes and more of a rosy glow in her cheeks., her hair was also down and her face was bruised, a reminder from her meeting on the Emperor's station with Darth Feer.

Feer, she thought, her anger flickering deep inside of her.

He would pay for that abuse.

She swore it.

She looked down at her hands, and once again knew this was a dream, the night of the celebrations she had been wearing the prototype of her arm, the white armored one, yet now, as she looked down she saw that that this one was made of crimson metal, the finished model that she had received a week later.

Interesting, she thought...

It always intrigued her that when she dreamt now, she always had her cybernetic arm; even when she dreamed about the past, back before she had needed it. Regaining her skills after the loss had been a bit of a challenge, and sometimes she still felt that she was nowhere near what she had been, at least when it came to using a lightsaber.

It was the lack of feeling, she suspected, though she fought with her right hand, many of the defensive spins and parries of both Soresu and Makashi required the use of both hands. Since she had no feeling in her left she had to guess the right amount of pressure when gripping her blade. Dr. Leth had offered to add tactile sensors to the hand, give her some sense of sensation, heat, cold, and so on, but she had refused.

The loss of feeling was both a lesson and a challenge; she would learn to compensate for both.

She had no complaints for her servant's work; they had done the best they could. Metal was simply a poor substitute for flesh, the Force did not flow as easily through it as it had her natural arm. Her alchemist had done his best, surpassed her expectations, but it was still not enough.

She still felt the loss, intimately.

She looked up into the night sky, just as she had that night almost two years ago now. It was a rare thing that she could simply slip away and…appreciate the beauty that was Korriban, most only saw the power of this world; the ruin of what had been the birth place of her people. Yet, it was more than that, the windswept statues, the distant ruins of the Valley of the Dark Lords, the way the breeze blew the red sands, sending little whirlwinds across the desolate surface.

There was beauty here, if one was truly looking for it, it was something worth protecting.

The Jedi and the Republic did not understand that, she was amazed that they had never flattened this world; that the Valley of the Dark Lord's still stood

There were those within the Republic that would stop at nothing to see her entire culture erased if they could, they would happily leave the Sith people just a faded memory, a nightmare forgotten with the dawn.

That will not happen, she thought, we are too strong to simply fade away.

It was the Sith's destiny to rule the galaxy, there was nothing the Republic could do to change that…

…nothing.

Thinking about the Republic made her think about Fenn Shadowstone. She thought about how she had escaped his custody, and of the kiss she had stolen as they had parted.

It had been all impulse, that kiss, she had wanted it yes, but had it truly been the smart move?

It was one thing to kiss her friend in their dreams, but doing so in reality had fully reawakened something within her, something that she had thought long dead.

In that one sweet moment, her desires had awakened again. The feelings that she had thought lost when Fehl had died returned with a vengeance.

Lust once again stirred in her breast, an animal that was now awake, and hungry for more.

It seemed that her heart was finally healed, that after so many months of pain and obsession with bringing Fehl back, she had finally moved on, and chosen Fenn as the one she desired most... He was the one that she wanted to be with.

As she had stared up at the stars, she had wondered what he was doing at that moment. She wondered if he was thinking of her. Part of her even wanted him here. She had just achieved a major goal in her life.

It would have been nice to have someone to share it with; it would have been nice…

She heard footsteps behind her, heavy footsteps, and something else, the sound of mechanically assisted breathing.

She did not need to turn to know who it was, she remembered that night quite clearly. Yet, at the same time she felt herself startle, as she had done back then, and turn to face the person coming up behind her.

It seemed that in this dream she was just along for the ride, replaying what had happened that night.

The Sith who had joined her with almost as large as Darth Terrog had been, he was tall, broad shouldered, and thick necked. He was clad in the robes and armor of the Sith, his massive frame almost hidden by his cloak. His skin was pale, his bald scarred head hidden by a heavy hood, and in its shadow yellow Sith eyes glittered brightly. His jaw was hidden from view, covered by a heavy respirator mask, one far more extensive than the one she had worn after her injuries during her days as a student.

At the time she had been shocked, she had not seen this one at the ceremony, but knew very well who he was.

After all, who would not recognize one of the Empire's greatest heroes?

"Lord Malgus," she heard herself say, "This is an honor."

Darth Malgus, the lord who had sacked the Jedi Temple, nodded in greeting.

"Lord Avaryss," he said, his voice as cold and unyielding as durasteel, "It seems that I'm not the only one that grows weary of these state affairs; that I'm not the only one who sees the value of solitude."

Avaryss shrugged.

"Tribute is all well and good," she had replied then, as she replied now, "But a wise Sith both knows and understand the feelings beneath it."

She had smiled then, slyly.

"Half the people in that room would kill me if they thought it would advance their causes, and the other half would seek to use me for their own ends."

She laughed lightly.

"Knowing that, it is hard to accept congratulations from your peers."

Malgus had nodded, as a hero of the Empire; he likely knew what she meant.

He had been celebrated once, he knew how the Dark Lords of the Sith played their games.

He knew how the world truly was.

"Never forget that, young one, a hero today is tomorrow's pariah, they will look for ways to tear you down if they can, and to profit greatly from it.

Malgus shook his head.

"This is not how it was supposed to have been, we celebrate the fall of one of our own while the Republic continues to draw breath, while the Jedi continue to infest the galaxy with their presence and their stink."

Through the Force Avaryss could feel Darth Malgus' frustration and hate, it was like a star sending off waves of dark side energy.

She closed her eyes and basked in that power, reveling in the heat.

"Terrog had to be removed," she reminded him, "He was a threat to us all, and to the Force."

"And yet so many more threats remain," Malgus said coming to her side standing beside her, towering over her. She felt the dark side flowing between them, it left her feeling giddy.

He looked up at the sky as well, what did he see when he looked up at those stars, she had wondered, did he appreciate the beauty of the darkness, or was it all just rage and hate to him?

For a moment they stood together in silence, the hero of the last war, and the hero of a single battle, she felt dwarfed by his presence, even intimidated.

We both wear the same title, but he has done more to earn it, I'm just a child to him, and an inexperience one at that.

Malgus was a legend, she would have to do far more before she was ready to stand next to him and call herself an equal, despite the new title she wore.

"You are lonely," he said, breaking the silence, "You came out here to think of someone? You wish that they were here?"

Avaryss blinked, she thought about lying, but thought against it, Malgus' temper was legendary.

She had no desire to provoke him.

"I am," she admitted, shaking her head, "The one I miss is far away, beyond my reach."

She sighed.

"I would not expect you to understand, my lord."

Malgus did something then that surprised her.

A strange sound came from the vocalizer of his mask, at first she thought it was a gasp, but…no…that was not it.

Malgus had laughed at her, or rather her comment.

She frowned.

She did not think it was amusing.

"You would be surprised," he told her, "There was one who shared my life once; she looked upon me and came to see more than fear. I had saved her life and in time we grew…closer, far closer than I ever dreamed."

Avaryss did her best to keep her face bland, to hide the shock.

Malgus did not know her, and yet…he confided this to her.

She was amazed.

"Is she with you tonight," she asked, "She sounds like a remarkable woman?"

The dark lord's eyes narrowed, she felt his rage burning like an inferno.

"She is always with me, but she is not here."

"Oh," Avaryss said, "I see."

It was at that moment that he turned to face her, to pin her under that cold pitiless gaze, the gaze that saw the retaking of Korriban, and the sacking of the Jedi Temple.

She could not help it; she quailed under those icy golden eyes.

"Allow me to give you some advice young one," he said coldly, "If you wish to survive here, if you want to rise higher than you have now, do one thing, and do not hesitate."

"Yes," she asked eagerly, "Yes?"

"Find this one that you wish to have at your side, find him and everyone else that you care about. Bring them all to you, and bask in your feelings for them one last time."

Avaryss blinked.

"And…and then, my lord?"

"Kill them," Malgus said flatly, "Kill them with your own two hands. Do it as slowly and as intimately as you can, feel every emotion, the guilt, the pain, the blood, let it wash over and cleanse you. Remember to save the one you desire for last, let them know that you cared enough to let them watch the end of everything, and then. Take their life; savor its end, and every second that passes when you do it. That is how it was with me, how it was with her, my darling wife."

Avaryss could not completely hide the horror on her face, she tried but…

Lord Malgus…he…he…

Emperor save me, she thought.

The man had killed his own wife! He killed her for…what?! Revenge?!

Malgus made that sound again, that single barked laugh.

You look pale, child, did I say something wrong?"

Avaryss swallowed hard

"Did…did she wrong you in some way, my lord?"

"She died because she loved me, and I loved her. She made me weak, and that was a crime that I could no longer tolerate."

He stepped closer to her, and as she had done on that night, she took a step back, seeing the Hero of the Empire with new eyes.

All power has its price, the darkness whispered in her ear that was the price that Lord Malgus had to pay.

Keera had her own opinion.

_He is monster_, she thought…

…_A cruel and heartless monster!_

For a second she had been afraid that Malgus would hear that, that he would be able to hear Keera's words.

He did not, lucky for her.

"Destroy what you love and you will achieve a power beyond your wildest dreams," he advised, "You will hate yourself when you are done, but in that moment, that hate will open a door that will never close again, you will wield a power beyond even the greatest of the dark council."

He looked her in the eye, her crimson eyes to his golden ones.

"Kill what you love, and you will become more than what you are, you will be…Sith."

He backed away from her then, pulling his hood farther up, once again hiding his features from her.

"Enjoy the rest of the evening, Darth Avaryss," he said, "congratulations on your good fortune."

Malgus had left her then, left her to ponder his words. Avaryss did not take her eyes off of him until he was off the platform until he had vanished back inside the temple.

She found herself hoping that Xen would not see him, if her apprentice dared attack Malgus; she feared that she would be down one apprentice.

His words amazed her.

He…he had killed his own wife, and for what, the power and glory of the dark side?

His confession had left her speechless.

After he had left, she had found herself thinking about what he had said, about what he had done.

She thought about it, how it would feel to do as he had done.

She imagined standing alone in a room in the temple. Taya was dead at her feet. Beric was dead at her feet. Her crew was dead at her feet, her servants were dead. She…she…

She saw Fenn in front of her. He was looking down in horror at the things she had done. He was horrified by the price she had paid.

She smiled cruelly at him.

She wasn't done.

She went to him, but instead of embracing him, she wrapped her fingers around his throat, he had not fought at first, he still trusted her, still was trying to understand.

That was his mistake.

Her left hand tightened around his throat, far tighter than the right one was capable of.

"Keera…stop," he gasped.

"Please…stop!"

She heard his words, but could not do it.

She would not do it.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, "I love you, but…I'm so sorry."

She felt the vertebrae in his neck crunch beneath her fingers, she watched as the light left his eyes, as he slumped to the floor at her feet.

Tears ran down her cheeks, she was sobbing but…at the same time, she felt it building up inside her, a wave of darkness, a tidal wave of pain and self-hatred.

She began to giggle, she was still crying, but it was no longer with sadness, it was joy, joy and elation!

I'm free, she thought, I hate myself, but…I'm free.

She was once again standing on the landing pad, looking out over Korriban; in the chrome side of the crate she saw her reflection.

Her eyes were sunken pits blazing with fire; her face was withered with the overflow of dark side energy.

She…she could not hold it in, not any longer!

She stretched out her hand and…

A maelstrom of Force lightning exploded from her fingertips, she laughed as her power consumed everything around her, as it obliterated not only the Sith fleet in orbit, but Korriban as well.

Her power consumed everything!

What did armies matter, what did worlds matter.

She was hungry for power and death.

She would gorge herself on both.

It was glorious!

It was beautiful.

The joy of killing an entire world! The rapture of destroying whole galaxies!

It was…MAGNIFICENT!

"_I am no mere Sith Lord_, she shouted to the stars as her power blew them out like so many candles, destroyed by her rage and her freedom

She laughed manically.

"_**I AM…THE SITH!"**_

She found herself staring at a throne, cut from a single piece of dark stone; its edges were bladed, its stones worn by many feet, and the power of the dark side. It was old…ancient…perhaps even from before the days of the Empire, before the arrival of the Dark Jedi that had first taken the Sith to the stars.

_It is __**my**__ throne_, she knew, _it belongs to me, and __**my**__ blood!_

_It is mine!_

_It is ours, my children and their children, and their children, down through the millennia!_

_It belongs to us._

_It belongs to me!_

We are **all **Avaryss!

We are **all** the Sith!

She took a step towards it, to claiming her destiny.

She turned, seeing the Sith, her people staring down upon her, they were all around her; she could hear their voices, chanting her name, both her followers and her victims.

The throne is mine, she thought.

The Universe is MINE!

She moved to sit down, to claim her destiny. The voices from her peers grew louder, they would not stop her. All she had to do was touch it and…

"Keera?"

The voice stopped her.

What?

Who dares?!

Keera?

She felt herself being pulled away, away from the throne, away from the dark world, away from her destiny.

No! She wailed.

STOP!

IT IS MINE!

MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!

She gasped, she found herself back on Korriban, back outside the party, though everything had fallen silent, she heard no dark lords, heard no toasts or cheers..

Fenn Shadowstone stood before her.

He looked…worried.

"Keera?" he asked.

She glared at him.

Do you have any idea what you have done?!

Do you have any idea!

The words tried to form, but they could not get past her lips.

Fenn was here, she realized.

He has come for me.

Finally.

He has come.

Despite what she had just seen, what she had dreamed, her body warmed in his presence.

Her heart beat faster, her pupils dilated slightly.

Fenn was here.

She was both happy, and…angry.

No, not angry…_**furious.**_

Damn you, she thought.

Where have you been?!

"Keera," he said, finally seeing her in her shimmer silk gown, and how it was tight in all the right places.

"Wow," he said, "Just…wow."

She blushed despite herself.

Don't fall for it, the darkness whispered, he would say anything to cool your rage.

It was at that moment hat Keera spoke up again, putting her two credits in, so to speak.

See Avy, she said, it is me that he wants, my body that he wants to touch.

You are just along for the ride.

She ignored the little twit.

She could say whatever she liked.

Fenn was hers.

That was all he ever would be.

It did not matter how angry she was at that moment with him, and yes, she _**was**_ angry.

She had not seen him in almost a year and a half, and even then that had been too brief.

She tried to focus on that anger, deny the lust in her breast, and the heat building in her body.

Her eyes drank him in, he was as she remembered, the spiky blonde hair and hazel eyes, that delicious form hidden by the robes of a Jedi, and…

She smiled slightly.

"Your braid is gone," she said.

"Yeah," he said touching his hair nervously, "Master Jas cut it off, my time as a Padawan is done."

He smiled proudly.

"I'm a Jedi Knight now."

"Good for you," she purred, she could not entirely keep the venom out of her voice.

"Um…Keera," he said, "Have I done something wrong?"

She gave him a cruel sneer.

"Let us just say, if we were sitting in a cantina right now, I would throw a drink in your face."

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I've been trying to reach out to you for months, MONTHS," she said, "You have been ignoring me."

"I'm sorry," he said, "I've been busy, the war…"

"You think you are the only one who has been fighting? We both serve our people remember?"

"I remember," he said, "I've…I've felt when you tried to reach out to me, when you tried to contact me. I…I could not give into that temptation. I'm sorry."

She blinked; her purple eyes flickered with both anger and power.

"Couldn't…why?" she asked.

He gave her a pained look.

"As you said, we are at war."

"The Republic and Empire are at war, we are not!"

"And if I was to let something slip about what the Jedi and Republic were doing, would you keep that secret, or would you pass it on to your masters. If you let something slip, do you think I would be able to stay silent?"

Fenn sighed and shook his head.

"I did not want to put you in that position, I'm sorry."

Avaryss pursed her lips; she considered what he was saying.

If gave her pause.

He was protecting me.

He was protecting himself, and his Republic, the darkness within her snapped back.

Do not be fooled by this Jedi's games.

Send him away.

Be done with him.

She could do that, she realized, she could send him away, tell him to never try and contact her again, he would do it, if she asked, despite what they shared, he would honor her wishes.

She found herself thinking about what she had been dreaming, about the power, the throne, about Malgus and destroying everything that she loved.

Would it make her strong, probably, did she want that strength?

She was not sure.

It was the way of the Sith to pursue power without fear or hesitation, but power did have a few drawbacks.

Power could not stop you in your in tracks with a glance, or a gentle touch. Power could not sooth you to sleep; it could not hold you and comfort you in its arms.

Malgus was a fool, Keera said, His path is not the only one. Protecting what you love, destroying any who would dare threaten it, that is a power in itself.

Fenn, Taya, Beric, and the others, they were hers, and she would be damned before she let anyone take them from her.

She would destroy whole worlds to defend what was hers.

She worried her lip with her teeth. She watched Fenn. She could not take her eyes off of him.

"You were protecting me," she purred, "You were trying to keep me safe."

"Yeah," he laughed nervously, "You are special to me, you know that. I couldn't…"

She had heard enough.

Anger at his distance these many months turned to desire. Any reason was cast aside as lust flowed through her veins like liquid fire.

She went to him, threw her arms around him, and kissed him, long and deeply.

He did not even try to resist, he tensed…briefly, but then she felt him submit, he wrapped his arms around her, she could feel his fingers moving up and down her body.

She moaned like a pleasure slave, she could not help it.

Fenn, she thought.

Oh Fenn!

He broke the kiss, he was breathing heavily, they had discovered early on that they could feel each other's touch in this place; they could feel the most gentle of caresses.

She smiled hungrily.

What would it feel like if she threw him down on the deck and had him…right here?

Here heart was pounding; she wanted to test that theory.

She wanted him.

She wanted him right now.

"Your eyes," he said in a husky voice, "they're different."

She kissed him again, silencing him, the handsome fool.

She did not want to talk about her eyes right now.

Not when other parts of her body demanded attention. She would…

OW!

She pulled back; he had kissed her face, the right side of it. She winced and looked away; she had not wanted him to see the bruises.

"Keera," he said, "Your face."

"It is nothing, she said trying to move her hair in front of the damage. She did not want him to see it.

He gently lifted her chin and pushed back her hair.

She winced at the pain in his eyes.

"The war?" he asked.

She could have lied, but in that moment she did not want to."

"My master," she admitted, "He was most unhappy with my recent performance."

Fenn's eyes narrowed.

"He hit you."

"Among other things," she said with a shrug.

She felt Fenn's anger flare in that moment. It was as hot as a star, and could be just as annihilating.

His love for you will be his undoing, the darkness within whispered.

It will draw him to your side, and the darkness.

She tried not to smile.

She would not give up the game so quickly.

"The Hutt spawn, "he spat, "No one should touch you like that."

"It is nothing she tried to assure him, it doesn't even hurt that bad."

A lie, but it was a useful one.

She was not above manipulating him, not if it took him to where she needed him to be.

She gently stroked his cheek with her right hand.

"Let us not waste our time talking of my master," she purred, "We have been apart for so long. Let us make the best of it..."

She kissed him again and again. She felt him losing control again, giving into his own desires, his own wants.

He took her into his arms and lowered her down; she expected to feel the cold deck of the landing pad beneath her, only to feel silken sheets, on her back as he gently removed her cape and shoulder plates from her.

They were now in her apartment in Kaas City; he continued to kiss her, workings his way from her ear down to her throat.

She groaned in pleasure.

"Undress me," she gasped, "Please Fenn…please."

She felt him trying to pull back, trying to remember his Jedi calm and training. She did not let him; she reached up and kissed him again, wrapping her legs around his waist. She guided his hand to her dress, moving his fingers, helping him pull it down.

You won't escape that easy, she thought.

Tonight you are mine.

You are…

The world fell out from beneath her; she was pulled from Fenn's arms.

She heard him calling out to her as they split apart.

_**No,**_ she thought.

_NOOOOO!_

_Not again!_

IOI

Avaryss opened her eyes, she was lying in a bed, but it was in a room that she did not recognize.

Her eyes darted around quickly, trying to take in everything, to figure out where she was.

Someone was next to her bed, staring down at her, it took all of her self-control not to lash out. Her heart leapt into her throat.

Recognition stopped her but only just.

The person leering at her was not really capable of leering, not yet. It was a little girl, toddler really, no more than two years old. Her blonde hair was pulled up into two small ponytails, her heart shaped face and wide smiling face was as familiar to Avaryss as her own. Those large blue eyes radiated only a child's excitement and glee, not really understanding what was going on.

"Hi, Auntie Avy," the little girl smiled, "You wake?"

Avaryss sighed and fell back in bed; she picked up the closest pillow put it over her mouth and screamed with frustration into it.

She had been so close, to Fenn…so very close.

Now it was over…it was gone.

Shit.

She groaned and shook her head.

"Aya," she grumbled, "I'm your godmother, and I love you. I truly do, but sometimes…you can be a real pain."

The child giggled; perhaps she thought that her Auntie Avy was joking.

She wasn't.

Avaryss threw off the pillow and sat up, putting on her best smile.

"Hey, Aya," she said warmly, "Is your Mum here?""

"I'm right here, Avy."

Avaryss looked over at the doorway and nodded.

Taya, her best friend and first servant stood there. Looking pretty well considering the chaos that the Empire had endured recently.

Motherhood apparently agreed with her, she looked as sharp as ever, Avaryss wondered if that was so, if her saber skills remained.

They might have to find out…soon.

She sighed.

At least now she knew where she was.

She sighed and took a deep breath.

The memory of what Lord Malgus had said to her almost two years ago came back.

Kill what you love.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Not likely, she thought.

Not bloody likely.


	5. Gathering Forces

**Chapter 5: Gathering Forces**

_Jealousy._

It was not an emotion that Darth Avaryss was overly comfortable with. She wielded both great wealth and even greater power. She was young and strong in the dark side. It would have been enough for most Sith. It should have been enough for any Sith.

Yet…when she watched Taya playing with her little girl, as she watched the young mother laughing as she tried to catch Aya and scoop her up into a warm hug. She felt a…stirring in her breast.

_It does not matter how much power you wield, how many underlings bow to you, _Keera's voice whispered from the back of her mind.

_You will __**never **__have this._

_You don't __**deserve**__ this._

Even the heavy grey clouds over head, and the threat of a second Republic attack did little to kill the mother and daughters joy as they raced through the estate's large garden, one of the few examples of luxury that Taya owned since becoming a lord herself.

The gardens were both large and twisty.

They were perfect for a child's game of tag.

Aya ducked her mother's reach and zipped off again, pausing only briefly when she noticed Avaryss watching them. The little girl giggled and waved to her.

Avaryss, trying not to let her jealousy show, smiled and waved back.

It was not the child's fault.

How could the less than two year old understand the choices that she had made?

Normally she would not have come here, not intruded on her friend's bliss. Of course she had not had any choice in the matter. Bleez had been following orders, and her orders had been clear.

As soon as House Avaryss' Warmaster had learned that she had been taken to medical on the Emperor's station, the trooper had moved in. Bleez knew that leaving her in care of her master's underlings was not the smartest of moves. Since Avaryss' ascension, their relationship had cooled.

The trooper had taken no chances. The Warmaster had gone to medical, with a company of Avaryss loyal troopers and retrieved her. They could have brought Avaryss back to her destroyer, but instead chose to go down to the planet's surface. Bleez could have brought her home, back to her apartments in Kaas City, but had decided against it. Kaas City was a mess right now, still cleaning up from the Republic attack. Troopers were out in force stopping rioters and looters. The council had imposed both a curfew and marshal law, at least until the threat and fear of a second Republic attack subsided.

Since her followers could not take her home, there was only one place on the planet to bring the Sith Lord, the one place where she would be welcomed.

Taya's estate on Dromund Kaas was not the largest or most luxurious, but it was secure. It had once belonged to Taya's late master, but had now passed into the ownership of the Blonde Sith and her husband. Eight months ago Taya had…_retired_ her master after he had been injured in a battle on the planet Quesh. Since that time, she had claimed all that was once his in both her name and for House Avaryss. As her friend's oldest ally, Taya had been the first full Sith to declare loyalty to her.

Bleez had known this, and so Avaryss had been brought here.

It had been the smartest move.

Bleez, still fully clad in trooper armor stood a few steps behind her at Avaryss' side as bodyguard. Colonel Glasc had returned to Avaryss' destroyer the Emperor's Wisdom to prepare for their journey to Oridanna.

Normally, Avaryss would have been there herself, but after learning that Taya would be leaving soon to oversee some matters for her family, decided to spend a few hours with her old friend. The two had not spoken much in the last year, she had left to tend to the matters of the war just after Aya had been born, just after Taya and her husband had asked her to be the girl's godmother.

It had been kind of them, and expected, given her patronage of Taya and her family. It was also expected that Taya welcome the dark lord into her home when she needed it.

It was the safest place to stay while she licked her wounds.

She found herself thinking about her new mission, about returning to Oridanna after all this time.

She was…concerned.

The Keera side of her would be much stronger there. The past would make carrying out her orders…difficult at times.

She would need all her powers and faculties about her as she dealt with these…rebels. She would need to teach them to fear the Sith again.

Such a mission would be good for her, reminder of why she had chosen to become Sith in the first place.

She could do this.

Oridanna would learn its place.

A servant came up to Taya as she finally managed to catch the giggling, happily squealing child. The man whispered in Taya's ear, and she nodded. She gestured to the girl's nanny droid, who dutifully rolled up and took Aya from her mother's arms. After a brief exchange, and a loving kiss on the forehead, the little girl was taken away, waving goodbye to her mother.

Taya smiled and blew her a kiss.

Once the girl was gone, she turned and made her way over to the small gazebo where Avaryss had been resting. Her expression was cool and all business.

She has found something, Avaryss realized.

She was eager to hear her friend's report.

"Commander Holli is on her way Avy," Taya informed her, "She will be joining us within the hour."

Avaryss nodded pleased by the news.

Next to Taya and Beric, Lieutenant Commander Holli was one of her most trusted servants. The engineer had been serving her since her first mission off Dromund Kaas, and the two had become…if not friends then the closest thing to it.

She had always kept my secrets, Avaryss thought, and I have always kept hers.

It had made for a profitable and stable relationship.

Few, outside of Avaryss' house knew the full story of Lujayne Holli, born a changeling of unknown origin, she had risen through the ranks quickly with Darth Avaryss' patronage, and was likely the highest ranked, non-Sith alien in the Empire.

Holli owed much to Avaryss, and had repaid that many times over.

If anyone could track down Avaryss old crew, it was her. She was on good terms with all of them, as far as the Dark Lord knew.

Things would move quicker with her old ally here.

Taya joined her as the servants finally brought out the two lords' breakfast. Avaryss waited as patiently as she could while their underlings saw to their needs.

What the two had to discuss was not for the ears of servants. Taya had been her ally's eyes and ears here on Dromund Kaas, and had been handling several of Avaryss' operations.

She was eager to hear a status report on them, before her friend left for her new holdings on the planet Ziost.

Taya' expression was grim as the servant's finally left, when they were out of ear shot, the blonde girl began.

"Is it true, Avy," she asked, "Is the Emperor truly gone?"

"It seems that way," she replied, "His station was all but abandoned, and the Council has assumed control. My Master is up there right now, holding it in stewardship until the rest of the council figures out what to do."

Taya shuddered. She like most of the other Sith here were worried. The Emperor had been their guiding light and shepherd for almost thirteen centuries.

If felt strange knowing he was no longer there.

"I just heard from my people in Kaas City, Avy. The rioting is continuing there as we speak. The curfew should make things better, but it is going to negatively impact some of our dealings in the capital, we may have to put some of our plans on hold."

Avaryss nodded, she had expected that, but it was annoying just the same.

Few Sith realized it, but she was likely one of the richest members of her order. Along with her other talents and titles, Avaryss was also the secret CEO of Thunn Cyber Systems, a successful droid manufacturing company. Her servant droid, 1A-K3, otherwise known as Lackey ran the company for her, and did so in a way that no one had ever realized that the original owner and CEO was dead, and that Avaryss had taken his place.

The credits that she made from that arrangement were considerable, and in the last year, Avaryss had worked hard to ensure that they found their way into many pockets. She had agents within the port authority, security force, and several business guilds and companies that serviced Kaas City.

In short, she was following in the footsteps of Sith like Darth Baras, building a network of invisible agents to not only provide her with information, but also extend her reach in the Empire.

When the time came to take the next step in her life, she would be ready.

Avaryss was not simply another pretty face.

She wished to be one of the most powerful lords here in the capital.

"There have been some losses in the last few months," Taya informed, "People we have talked to have disappeared, or turned up dead."

Avaryss frowned.

That was not good news.

"Were the people we lost doing something…special?"

"Not really, most of them were simply recruiting, or looking to advance into more useful positions."

Taya sighed.

"I thought it was simple intelligence sweeps, agents are lost all the time when the Watchers suspect someone might be providing certain lords with useful information, but it was the speed with which our people were lost that concern me. They were snatched up far too quickly and in rapid succession."

Avaryss cursed under her breath.

"We have been compromised."

"To a limited degree, yes, I believe we have, but as I said the speed and finality of the way our agents were dealt with suggest more than mere intelligence involvement."

Avaryss nodded, already guessing what her friend was going to say.

"The Dark Council is watching me; they are seeking to limit my reach."

That would be my thought on the matter, yes."

Avaryss cursed again.

"Damn, Feer," she thought, "Damn that man to the darkest pits of hell."

"If it is your master, Avy, I have to wonder why he has not moved to shut down all of your operations, some remain intact and proceed as planned."

"It is a warning to me, I suspect. Feer wants to let me know that he can get me where ever I go, and that my operations only continue because he allows them."

She hissed, her anger held in check, but not entirely restrained.

"I still have a few allies on the Dark Council. I will see what they can tell me about what my dear master is up to. His decision to claim the Emperor's station was a…audacious move; part of me wonders if the council approved it before that all went down."

Taya shook her head.

"He weakens your powerbase here, and now he is sending you off to protect some backwater. I think it is safe to say that your master is no longer on your side, Avy. He may even be actively trying to destroy you now."

Avaryss did not deny that, things had been leaning this way for the last year, even before the war broke out between the Republic and the Empire. She did not agree with the whole backwater comment, but her friend's point was a viable one.

Feer felt threatened, and now he was doing something about it.

It was not the smartest of moves, but it was probably the best one he had.

It seemed that any sense of affection that Feer had once had for her was now gone. Her master had reached the point where he had started seeing his apprentice as a rival.

It had to happen sooner or later, Avaryss realized. Now with the Emperor dead and so much up in the air, it had just accelerated the situation, increasing the speed that the two Sith were moving, and all towards an inevitable collision course.

The bomb was ticking down…

…Eventually, there would be an explosion.

As for defending Oridanna, that was something that Avaryss would have done anyway. Her former homeworld was the jewel of the Itae system. The foodstuffs and spores that it produced were a necessity in times of war.

Preserving Oridanna was necessary, even if it meant she would be surrounded by enemies, even if it was a trap, one set by her master; she would have to step into it.

The Empire needed Oridanna.

The trouble there needed to end.

"We may need to start again," Avaryss said, referring to her lost agents, "When you get to Ziost, keep an ear open, see if there is anyone that we might be able to recruit to our side. We need to start rebuilding our network."

"It will be done," Taya promised, "I will…"

Taya's personal comlink beeped, she looked down and pulled it out, a hooded man appeared, asking if they could speak privately.

"Excuse me, Avy," she said, "I need to take this."

Avaryss nodded, gesturing for her friend to go about her business.

She watched Taya go, curious about what was so important.

Once again her friend had proven her worth, she may not have been one of high level Sith Lords here, but she was valuable. Her lower rank freed her from some of the politics that tied the hands of other lords, making her even more useful to Avaryss and her allies.

She had always stood by her.

Avaryss was grateful for that.

For a time she had considered bringing Taya in even more so than she was now. She had been prepared to offer her old friend her brother as a potential husband. As a Sith and the head of their family, Beric would have said, yes, to the match, at least she suspected that he would. Taya would have been dutiful to him, and given the fact that he had the potential to give her Force sensitive children, the match would not have been a bad one.

Taya would have been an agreeable wife to Beric and sister to Avaryss. Plus, it would have given Avaryss more access to the Dresco family fortune, to which Taya and her younger brother were both heirs.

Sadly, that had not been meant to be.

Lord Goss, Taya's master had moved before Avaryss had had a chance. He had accepted an offer from a lover of Taya's named Fimm Ress for his apprentice's hand. Taya had been a hot commodity at the time, having helped save the Empire by bringing back the vaccine to Darth Terrog's killer virus.

The two had been wed in a whirlwind ceremony, a ceremony carried out while Avaryss had been a guest of the Galactic Republic; she had had no say what had happened. She had had no chance to make a counter proposal.

Taya, having been fond of Fimm, had accepted and done her duty. Aya was born almost nine months after their wedding night. Fimm had wasted no time. Fimm was…tender with Taya, he saw the softer side to her and played to that, never questioned, and never tried to change her.

Avaryss had been angry, at first. She and Taya had been…close, probably far closer than she should have allowed, but that anger had mostly faded when she was asked to be the child's godmother.

She welcomed the honor, despite all the feeling that had come up because of it.

She hated the fact that Taya would no longer be on Dromund Kaas to oversee her operations; she would not be easily replaced. Of course the opportunity to expand her operations to Ziost could not be underestimated.

She would just have to be on the lookout for someone new to run her operations here, someone she could trust.

It would not be easy to come by.

Taya returned a few moments later, her old friend radiating satisfaction.

Avaryss smiled.

"Good news?"

"For both of us," Taya informed her, "I just heard from one of my agents in Kaas City, they were successful."

Taya beamed.

"We have Cynn Feer in our custody."

Avaryss' eyes brightened.

Cynn Feer!

At last!

Cynn Feer was her master's eldest child, the one born with little or no Force sensitivity. Sometime after she was born, Darth Feer had disowned her for that, choosing to not even acknowledge her birth.

He had cast out his own child; the one that he had thought would have stood beside him on his rise to glory.

He had tried to replace her with Avaryss, and though she had proven stronger than her master's daughter, that relationship had now soured too.

Perhaps Feer was not meant to enjoy his success; maybe he was just a lousy father.

Avaryss would have said as much.

It was a choice, the one to cast aside his own child, that still pained her former master. His beloved little girl was no longer welcome in their family, eventually, possibly through some family connection she had gotten a position within the Imperial Supply office, she worked there as a filing clerk.

Her master did not acknowledge the girl's birth, his wife, did not acknowledge it, only keeping a single holo of her in her private quarters.

Avaryss could only imagine how the girl must have felt, being cast out simply because the way she was born.

It did not suggest much love on her master's part.

He was protecting his position, of course, such a scandal might have hurt his rise, maybe even have blocked him taking a seat on the Dark Council.

The Sith Lord could be quite petty when they wanted to be.

Avaryss turned to Taya, still not believing what she was hearing.

"I thought the girl was being, watched, guarded by Darth Feer's people."

"She was, until the battle broke out," Taya informed her, "The girl's defenders got caught up in the battle and were slain. My agents saw their chance and grabbed her, got her out of Kaas city as fast as they could."

"Feer's people will be looking for her," Avaryss reminded her friend.

"They will be searching for a while," Taya answered, "The section of the street where Miss Feer lived was destroyed by debris falling from orbit, it will take the security crew weeks to dig through the wreckage, and likely many bodies will not be found."

Taya gave her a triumphant look.

"It is safe to say, we got away clean this time, Avy."

The Dark Lord smiled.

Excellent, she thought.

Most excellent.

"This cannot be traced back to me, Tay. I trust you have made the proper arrangements?"

"The agents that grabbed the girl have been liquidated as precaution," Taya promised, "and their handler has committed suicide. There is no link to you."

"Good," Avaryss nodded, "where is the girl, now?"

"At one of my father's warehouses," Taya informed her, "She is unconscious, but being kept comfortable."

Avaryss nodded and gestured to Bleez. The trooper came to her side.

"My lord," the Warmaster said.

"Go to this warehouse and collect my prize," Avaryss ordered, "Use people that you can trust. Have the girl brought up to my destroyer, but do so…gently. Treat her like glass, she is…valuable to me."

Avaryss pinned her Warmaster with a cold stare.

"Tell…no one."

"As you say," Bleez said nodding; the Warmaster fell silent then, likely communicating with their most trusted agents, those that would say nothing of the mysterious prisoner that was being brought aboard.

Avaryss was pleased.

This victory had been a long time coming.

The two Sith ate the rest of their meal in a pleased silence. Taya offered her friend and guest a beverage that her father had found during his travels, something she had not tried before.

Avaryss smiled, after her first sip.

"It is called hot chocolate," Taya informed her, something that my father's smuggler friends discovered.

Avaryss nodded.

It would make an intriguing trade good to be sure.

Taya's father would likely do quite well with this one.

Twenty minutes after Bleez left to secure their prisoner, Commander Holli arrived. Clad in the uniform of a full Imperial commander, she looked both proud, but also uncomfortable. Holli was only happy when she was working on some engine, or technological problem.

Meeting with Dark Lords, even ones she liked made her nervous.

Avaryss noticed the grease smudge on her face, it was not really grease of course, but a mark that the changeling manifested when she was nervous, if you watched closely it would move across her face during conversations, she did her best to hide it, pretending to wipe if off, but it was always there.

Avaryss grinned.

She had missed her favorite changeling."

"Would you care to join us, Commander?" Taya offered.

"No thank you milord, I had just finished eating when the summons came"

Taya removed her officer's cap, trying not to look nervous, by wringing her hands. She turned to her patron and ally.

"I've completed my work on the Terror's engine system my lord," she said, "I'm sure your master will be most pleased with the result."

"I'm sure he will Lujayne," Avaryss said, in battle she would use the girl's title, but when it was just them she was content to use the woman's name.

Holli had never complained about it.

"Lord Taya said you have a new mission," the changeling said, "That you requested my help?'

"I did indeed," Avaryss informed her. "We are once again going into a danger, Lujayne. A rebellion has broken out on a world necessary to the war effort, I've been ordered to deal with it."

Avaryss smiled.

"We will need to reassemble our old comrades. I will no doubt be surrounded by enemies when we reach our destination. I will need people that I can trust."

Holli nodded.

"I will stand with you as always, my lord, as you well know," Holli promised, "The others maybe harder to locate."

"I suppose they are, Holli, but that is why I have you. You have maintained communications with your old shipmates. Rink has contacted you since he left yes?"

"A few times, but that was when he had questions about the ship. I'm not sure where he is now."

"I suppose that might make him difficult to track, but his skills are needed none the less. I should be able to reach Necris through the citadel, order her to return to my side. I should be able to find Xen that way to, if she is not otherwise engaged on the front line somewhere. HK will return when his mission is complete as always, which leads me to Beric."

Avaryss gave her friend a knowing look.

Lujayne was one of the few on her crew that she trusted with the knowledge that they were brother and sister. It seemed appropriate considering what the changeling had shared with her.

"He did not give you any clue of where he was going when he shipped out, did he? I think he will wish us to be on this mission."

Holli looked down at her feet, she seemed, more nervous all of the sudden.

Avaryss' smile dropped.

Lujayne seemed…nervous…embarrassed even.

What was this?

"What," the dark lord demanded.

"What happened?"

"Nothing bad, my lord," Holli said quickly, "I uh…just happen to _**know**_ where Beric is. His ship got in last night; he should be back in Kaas City by now."

"I see," Avaryss said, "Then I won't have to wait to get in contact with him then. Do you have his comm frequency; I would rather keep this matter private."

"You can try my lord, but I doubt he has his comm with him. He told me he would be off line for next two days."

The Sith Lord nodded, she supposed that made sense, if her brother was on leave…

Still he had not even tried to contact her? True she was not supposed to be on Dromund Kaas right now, but that did not mean, after everything that had happened, that he would not check in.

_Wasn't he worried about what was going on?_

_What could have distracted him so?_

Avaryss rose from her chair.

"I think that I should go and pay my brother a visit, she said, "Make sure that everything is fine."

"It was the last time I heard from him, my lord," Holli added, "You should be able to make it there before curfew tonight. I will give you the location."

"You will do one better," Avaryss said putting a gentle hand on Holli's shoulder.

"You will be coming with me."

It might have been her imagination, but she thought the changeling turned a little pale."

As…as you wish, my lord." She said.

"I do wish, Commander," she purred, "I most certainly do."

Holli nodded, through the Force the girl radiated…a sense of discomfort that Avaryss did not understand.

Avaryss got the feeling that Beric might be up to something, something that either she would not like personally, or his superiors wouldn't

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

What had her dear brother gotten himself into now, and if there was trouble, why go to Holli and not her?

Well, she would find out soon enough.

Her destroyer was to leave tonight for Korriban, and from there, to the Itae system and Oridanna.

They would need to finish this matter quickly.

Avaryss needed her big brother at his best.

If there was something unpleasant going on, she would face it head on.

"I will send word when the package you wanted is safely aboard your ship," Taya promised her.

"Good," I will contact you when I have Beric in tow, and am I my way as well."

Taya nodded.

"Do you want to say good bye to Aya, she is going to be sad that you did not stay for evening meal."

"I will speak with her; let her know that her Aunt Avy is looking out for her."

She will appreciate that Avy, I'm sure."

Taya smiled.

"Good luck out there, and watch your back."

Avaryss smiled.

She always did.

After a brief stop in the little girl's room, she once again joined Holli and the two made their way to the speeder that the engineer had arrived in.

Avaryss said nothing until they were underway, until the noise from the engines might have spoiled any chance of listening in.

"What is going on with my brother," she demanded, "Is he in danger?"

Holli gave her that uncomfortable look again.

"Depending on how you react when you see him, maybe."

Avaryss frowned.

_What was that supposed to mean."_

"It is nothing bad, really, I swear, my lord," Holli said quickly, trying to sooth her master's temper.

"It is…well…it is just…Beric swore me to silence. It…it is better that you see for yourself."

"Okay then," Avaryss said, wondering what kind of awkward situation she was about to walk in on.

"We will see."

IOI

Holli led her to a small inn not far from the spaceport proper. This was the first time that Avaryss had gotten to see the damage done by the Republic fleet when they had attacked the city.

It was not as…bad as it could be she supposed, several buildings were still burning, but…it did not seem as bad as it could have been.

Why would it be, Keera reminded her, "the attack was just a distraction, something to keep the fleet and army busy while the Jedi filth murdered the Emperor.

Avaryss' blood boiled at the thought.

Whoever this Jedi was, he would answer for his crime one day.

She swore it on the Emperor's name.

He would answer.

Holli brought the speeder down in front of the inn, the few people that were on the street ignored Avaryss for the most part, moving quickly to the shadows, trying to escape her notice.

In this distance she could hear the sound of blaster fire, smoke rose from the many fires that still burned in Kaas City.

Imperial security was restoring order, but it would likely take days before things finally settled back down.

The people needed to understand that the Sith still guided and protected them, even without the emperor there was still hope.

The Empire had survived the last Republic attempt to destroy it.

It would endure this.

She notice a group of teens scribbling with pain on a wall off to her right, one of them noticed her watching, and quickly pulled his friends away.

Avaryss tilted her head, surprised by what the teens at done.

It was graffiti, but not without meaning, the troublemakers had drawn a picture of a hooded face covered by a mask, above the face were scrawled two words.

REVAN LIVES!

Interesting.

Avaryss knew who Darth Revan was; of course, he had been a fallen Jedi that aided the empire three hundred years ago.

What most people did not know, was that Revan had not truly died until recently, a few short weeks after the war had begun. The Sith Lords Darth Nox and Darth Malgus had confronted Revan on another Rakatan station within the Empire's borders. He had been kept alive these many years by the Emperor, it was rumored, and after escaping had tried to take his revenge.

Nox and Malgus had killed him, or so Nox claimed, he had discussed what happened with his fellow cabal members shortly after it had happened.

Avaryss frowned.

As far as she knew, no one knew about that. Revan's brief return had been kept secret from the Empire's populace.

She made a point to ask Darth Marr about it later, and to speak with Darth Nox. Nox was on the council now after all, he might know more about the sudden interest in a long dead Dark Jedi.

Holli led the way into the inn; the droid at the desk did not even blink when Avaryss asked to see the room log.

The droid was not foolish, it recognized a Sith when it saw one.

It gave up the long without even a word of protest.

Avaryss found Beric's name and made for the room said to be his.

Holli walked beside her, looking as morose as ever.

"Beric swore me to silence, my lord," she said, "Don't hold it against me for keeping a promise to a friend."

"I will not," Avaryss promised, "You are a good ally, Holli. Whatever is going on here, I'm sure it is not your fault.

Avaryss came to the door listed in the log. It like the building itself was designed to be mostly soundproof; it was likely that Beric had not even heard them coming up the stairs and down the hall.

Avaryss could have blasted the door down with the Force, or cut it apart with her lightsaber, but instead, chose to be…polite.

She pressed the door bell, wondering how long it would take her brother to answer.

She did not need to wait long.

She had barely taken her finger off the bell when the door hissed open.

Beric stood before her; he wore a bath robe, and looked as nervous as she had ever seen him.

"Sister," he said quickly, his voice cracking.

"What a surprise!"

Avaryss smiled.

"Hello brother," she said, "May I come in, it has been a long journey."

Beric coughed, he was trying very hard both to look back in the room, and not look back into it.

Avaryss's smile widened.

What is this, she thought with great amusement, my brother is…blushing.

What might cause that I wonder.

"Give me a moment, sister," he said, I just need to."

"You can let her in Beric," a voice said from within, "I don't think we are going to escape this confrontation, not this time."

Beric frowned and sighed.

Avaryss gave him an arched look.

That voice, she thought.

She knew that voice.

Avaryss frowned.

I see now.

She looked down at Holli, who was likely blushing more than her dear brother.

At least now she knew what the big secret was.

Beric got out of the way, looking completely and utterly mortified.

Avaryss looked around the room, wrinkling her nose, it was the kind of place that she would not have wished to be caught dead in. Both her brother's uniform and what looked to be a set of Sith robes were scattered around the small suite, like they had been torn off and tossed away in some frenzy...

Very familiar looking robes, actually.

Avaryss pursed her lips.

Wonderful, she thought.

How very…sweet.

Her eyes went to the fresher, where Beric's guest was standing.

At least one them was not surprised or mortified.

The girl was wearing Beric's shirt and nothing else; her long brown hair was mussed from either sleep, or a more…_physical_ activity, her neck and bare legs shown slightly with passion sweat. Her golden eyes were proud and defiant, even in the face of a Darth.

"Hello master," Her apprentice Xen Loor said in that low sultry voice of hers.

"I…um…suppose I have some explaining to do."

Avaryss eyes narrowed she looked back and forth between her brother and her apprentice; her apprentice, and apparently, Beric's new paramour.

"Get dressed both of you," she ordered, "We have a mission.

She turned without another glance.

"We shall discuss this…later."

"Great," she heard her big brother say under his breath.

Great? She thought, not really.

Avaryss shook her head.

Oh dear brother.

What have you done?


	6. Relationships

**Chapter 6: Relationships**

_You were made a Darth too soon._

_You have lost your taste for blood._

_You suffer because it amuses me, my child._

_Scream for me daughter, just one little scream._

_Scream._

_Scream._

_**Scream!**_

Avaryss was in her meditation chamber aboard her destroyer. She breathed in and out slowly, focusing on the torments that Darth Feer had put he through during their last meeting.

She could still feel him using the Force to pull at her arms and legs. She could still feel the pain as he stretched her spine.

Her eyes flashed as she remembered her scream. It was her moment of weakness and shame.

Not again, she thought…

…**never** again.

Around her orbited three large training globes. The golden spheres were typically used in training Sith Hopefuls in the art of telekinesis. Avaryss used them to practice using multiple Force abilities at once. She had gotten quite skilled at pinning someone in the Force, and then blasting them with Force lightning. It was one of her favorite forms of attack.

It was with these globes that she practiced her craft.

For the moment, they were simply orbiting around her, held aloft by her rage and her command of the Force. Darth Feer's voice continued to echo through her thoughts. His joy at making her scream in agony only served to fuel her hate, and through her hate…fuel her power.

Slowly, she began to rise off the meditation mat. A rosy glow suffused her body, her hair rippled as if underwater, or if caught up in a strong breeze.

Avaryss took a deep breath and opened her eyes; they blazed like dark stars, purple colored gem stones wreathed with red flame.

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion," she murmured.

"Through passion, I gain strength.

Through strength, I gain power.

Through power, I gain victory."

Through victory my chains are broken!"

Avaryss looked at one the training globes before her; it ceased its rotation and began to shudder.

She held it in place, focusing all her anger at Darth Feer, all her years of hate and rage towards the man flowed into that orb.

"_Scream for me my child."_

"_Scream." _

"_Scream." _

"_Scream."_

"_Just one little __**scream!"**_

The training globes were solid metal, it was said that they could not be damaged, no matter what a student of the Force did to them.

Avaryss continued to force her will into the orb, she watched it shudder.

She continued and watched as the metal began to splinter and crack.

She could almost see Darth Feer's face reflected in that globe, his smiling cruel face!

"**ARRRRRRRGH!"**

She snarled with pure rage, and in that moment the globe crumbled, it turned to dust under the telekinetic assault and power of her will.

The dust whirled around her, as light reflected off the many golden shards.

She now floated almost a meter off the floor, wreathed in red light, fueled by the dark side.

She smiled at the destroyed globe, imagining that it had been Darth Feer's head.

She almost laughed.

"The Force," she whispered, "Shall free me."

She sighed contently, pleased with finding an outlet for her rage, it was the sweetest release.

"Yesssss," she sighed.

"Oh…yessss."

In that moment she was almost one with the dark side, her perceptions were razor sharp, she could have heard an insect exhale at the end of the hall.

Her brother was coming, she felt his presence.

Her euphoria faded slightly.

Did she really want to do this right now?

This was not the kind of talk that she wanted to have with her brother. Normally, she would not have cared who he chose to spend his nights with, but…this was different.

Xen was _**her**_ apprentice, and she understood her…appetites.

It was enough to worry the dark lord.

She had not talked to Xen yet, perhaps that was a mistake on her part. She had no real idea how long this…_dalliance_ between her apprentice and brother had been going on. That lack of knowledge concerned her."

Avaryss knew how Xen treated her lovers. She had had at least two in the last two years; both had died violently; usually when Xen had gotten bored of their company.

She would not allow Beric to suffer the same fate.

Once again she cursed the Force for not giving her a chance to wed Beric to Taya. If he was with Taya he would not have to worry about his partners fickle interests.

No, Taya would have been loyal to him. Xen was…not so…predictable.

The two guards outside her door stood a little straighter, noticing her brother's approach. She had made him a Captain after achieving the rank of Darth; it had seemed like a good idea at the time. Her guards knew that of course. Beric was one of the few people that could interrupt her meditations without incurring her wrath. Her protectors understood that order. Private Messel and Private Brunt were on duty today, or as she liked to call them Mess and Runt. The former's armor never seemed to fit right no matter what he did, and Runt was, as she thought, too short for a Sith trooper.

Well, it took all kinds she supposed.

Neither man could be called the best that the Empire had to offer, but she was forced to endure them none-the-less.

She got the feeling that Darth Feer had delighted in using his power as a council member to stock her ship with cast offs and fools.

She made due the best she could.

She recognized the two immediately, she knew it was them on duty, because the two never shut up when they were posted together. When she was deep in the Force as she was now, she heard every word.

It was all she could do to keep from reaching out with the Force and strangling the two idiots.

They never shut up!

"Is that Captain Lylos?" Brunt asked.

"I think so," Messel replied, "We should probably contact her lordship."

"You can do it if you want, but I'm not going to. She said she didn't wish to be disturbed."

"It's Captain Lylos; he is one of her favorites."

"Did you hear what she did to lieutenant Nagg for interrupting her last month?"

"He fell down a turbolift."

"Yeah, after her lordship opened the door when the car wasn't there."

"I'm sure she didn't do that."

"You wanna' take that chance? Interrupt her, I dare you."

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

Yes, she **had** shoved Nagg down the turbolift shaft, but that was only after the True Heart had escaped on his watch, she had wanted to make a point, and it had worked.

She felt no shame for that.

She felt Beric's presence, he drew closer and closer.

"Call her," Brunt said.

"No," Messel said, "You do it."

"I don't want to."

"You think I do."

"Call her".

No.

"You better do it."

"No."

Beric finally reached them, the two stood at attention.

"I'm here to see Darth Avaryss." He informed them.

Before the two troopers could tell him that she was unavailable, she lowered herself to the deck, and triggered the door with her Force powers.

The door hissed opened with no one near it.

She felt both Messel and Brunt jump.

Their reaction amused her.

It was that reaction that saved their lives.

They had made her smile that had to count for something.

"Come forward, Captain Lylos," she called out.

"I will speak with you now."

The two guards stepped aside and let him pass, she might have been wrong, but she thought she heard Messel say that "it was nice knowing you," to Beric as he passed.

Unnecessary, she thought, she had no desire to harm her big brother, no matter how stupid his choices had been lately.

She would try her best to explain, she needed him on this mission.

She did not wish to see his life end because he had chosen to let the wrong girl into his bed.

As the door slid shut, she heard the two troopers again.

"He is dead meat," Messel said.

"How do you think she will do it? Lightning or will she break his neck?"

"Uh…lightning, she broke that Jolee kid's neck last week. She doesn't like to repeat herself."

"Wanna' bet? I've got ten credits that says she breaks his neck.

"I'll take that bet, if she kills him, otherwise no deal."

"Coward, I will…"

Avaryss rolled her eyes and allowed her senses to return to normal. The two troopers' voices faded.

She had heard enough from those two clowns, today.

Now she had to save her brother from himself, she hoped.

Beric stood at attention behind her; she did not bother getting up to greet him. She could sense his concern; feel his emotions churning in the Force.

She said nothing until she let the remaining training globes return to their pedestals.

"Sister," Beric said, "I…um…I think that I might have to explain a few things."

Avaryss sighed.

Only a few, she thought, what a surprise.

She shook her head.

"My guards are taking bets on how I'm going to kill you for interrupting me, do you know that?"

Beric gave her an arched look.

"Are you going to kill me?"

"I hadn't planned on it, but it might be quicker than the death you are courting by sleeping with Xen."

Avaryss sighed, and looked over her shoulder; her look was that of a disapproving mother.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Couple of weeks," he informed her, once upon a time he might have told her that it was not her business, but her place as a Sith Lord insured that that would not happen.

A Sith was welcome to interject herself into any argument, her brother understood that.

Lucky him.

"We met again during one of my missions; she was among the group of Sith warriors sent to aid us in dealing with a Republic listening post. We…started talking again, and one thing led to another, our last night before shipping out back here she came to my quarters with a bottle of wine, and…"

He looked down at his feet, blushing slightly.

"I think you can guess the rest, Keera."

She rolled her eyes.

Yes, yes she could.

She sighed.

Why did every man who saw Xen for two minutes turn into a drooling idiot around her? Yes, she was attractive, Yes, she dressed like a pleasure slave pretending to be a Sith. Yes, she knew how to wrap a man around her little finger with but a few words and a glance.

Why did that mean that every man in sight had to want her after just five minutes?

Avaryss shook her head.

She had hoped that Beric was smarter than the others.

She was apparently wrong.

"She kills little boys like you, do you know that?"

Beric gave her angry look.

"I'm _**not **_a little boy, Keera."

"You might as well be; Xen…Xen…is dangerous. I would not have taken her as my apprentice if she were not."

"I understand her power."

"Do you," she said rising from her meditation mat. She went up to him, trying to stand eye to eye with him.

"Do you truly understand?"

He winced under her regard; she was not trying to intimidate him, simply to make him understand.

Of all the women in the Empire, why Xen?

Why?

"Keera," he said in a small voice, "I…I think I'm in…"

She stopped him with a raised hand.

"Stop right there," she demanded.

"Sister I…"

"Just…don't Ric, please."

She rolled her eyes and started pacing.

"Ugh! Please do not tell me you're in love with her. Why? Of all the women in the Empire, why Xen, I understand that you are attracted to her, most men are, but…why…just why?"

He smiled.

"I know she is stronger than me, but…in spite of all that, when…when we are together, she changes; she becomes someone…softer. The Jedi never gave her any comfort sister. She _**needs**_ me. She wants to be understood, not just as a weapon, but as a young woman who wants to be…comforted."

Avaryss again had to resist the urge to roll her eyes.

Did her brother not understand, Xen was not simply a misunderstood young girl, she was a Sith apprentice, one with a fierce appetite for killing, and emotions that were only barely under control. She transitioned between rage, jealousy, and lust as other people changed clothes.

Xen was not some doe-eyed innocent, she never had been. She had played the role well with both her Jedi Masters, and those she was…attracted to. She knew how to play the innocent, the victim; she enjoyed manipulating them, making them think they needed to protect her, that she…understood them.

The truth was something else entirely.

Xen Loor was a predator. She always had been.

There were insects on various worlds that consumed their mates after the act of love. She had also heard rumors of a sentient species in the Republic that did the same, she did not know their name, but that was not really relevant. For creatures in nature, killing a mate after love was a matter of instinct. For Xen it was a game, a game she enjoyed because she liked the power, and that it fed her ego and fickle sensibilities.

Avaryss did not want to see her own brother fall into that trap.

"Did she tell you about her previous lovers?" she asked, "Did she tell you what happened to them?"

"We spoke a little about that, she told me the lieutenant she had been dating got to possessive and forgot his place. She said she had spent some time with a gunnery sergeant, after that, but that he had chosen a previous girlfriend over her, and that she had ended things."

Avaryss smiled.

_Ended things? That was one way to put it._

Another way to put it was that Xen had gotten jealous, the poor fool had been talking to his ex, and she had found out, and in a fit of rage and jealousy, she had used the Force to crush the poor man like an empty field rations can. Avaryss had seen the results. The cleaning droids had literally had to hose down the walls in the man's quarters, it had been that bad.

It had not been pretty.

She imagined finding Beric like that; the image was not a pleasant one.

_Perhaps your apprentice has outlived her usefulness,_ the dark side whispered.

She was useful in destroying her former Jedi Master, and as a trophy of his defeat, but now…maybe it is time you finally _**removed**_ her.

_You are already on your way to Korriban to take a new apprentice; perhaps Xen should have a…accident, a __**fatal**__ one._

_You do that, and Beric will never forgive you_, Keera chimed in, _he will know what happened, as soon as you do it, and will blame you for it._

_You will lose him forever._

Avaryss worried her lip with her teeth.

If she did nothing, she could also lose him, who knew what Xen would do when she got tired of Beric?

She wanted to believe that her brother would understand, in time, that he would come to accept that whatever she did to Xen was out of love for him, to protect him from himself and Xen's boredom and jealous nature.

She feared that he would not see it that way.

"I'm going to speak with her," she promised her brother, "We are going to be in enough danger when we reach Oridanna. I'm going to need you both focused, and not thinking with any part of your bodies but your brains."

Beric frowned.

"You are her master," he said, "She respects you and will obey if you ask her to do something. I only ask that you not jump to conclusions. Despite what you think I'm no novice when it comes to women. I can handle this."

Avaryss almost laughed at him.

She doubted that he had dated many Sith.

She knew from personal experience, a Sith woman demanded much of her potential mate.

She did not wish for Beric to suffer if and when Xen decided that he would not.

"I don't want to see you get hurt, brother," she said.

He smiled at her admittance.

"I'm glad you care so much for my feelings."

She frowned.

"You are both valuable to me," she reminded him, "Your skills and training have served me well, I would not see them wasted."

"Is that the only reason?" he asked.

"Do you think there would be any other?" she shrugged.

She sighed.

"If I were to tell you, order you, to end things with her, you would not do it, would you?"

"I would ask you to let me handle it." he said, "Xen would not hurt me."

She snorted at that.

"You show great naivety, brother. I know how Sith females think, I am one remember. I know what could happen."

His expression turned thoughtful.

"Are you sure this is about me and Xen?"

"Pardon?" she asked, "what do you mean?"

Beric shrugged.

"I can't help but wonder if this reaction is not entirely about Xen, but about you."

"What do you mean," she asked, "I don't understand?"

He gave her a knowing look.

"You like to say that you are motivated entirely by making your House into a powerful Sith clan, but you have not done the one thing that would have helped cement that."

"And what would that be?"

He smirked at her.

"You have rejected no less than **three **marriage proposals in the last year, have you not?"

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

What?

"How would you know that?" she demanded.

"I have friends in your house too; you are not the only one that hears things."

Avaryss' frown deepened.

She did not want to talk about this.

Had she rejected three proposals? She had been busy in the last few months, she had not kept track. Yes, several of her fellow Darths had come forward offering an alliance, provided she wed one of their sons, some of those offers had been tempting, but…

She had no desire to put her plans on hold while she consummated a marriage. She had her own plots to attend to.

She didn't need to be sidetracked by being with child for nine months.

_If Fenn was the father_, Keera whispered, _I think you would __**make**__ the time._

Avaryss eyes narrowed.

_Shut up,_ she thought, despite the fact that she could still see Keera's sly grinning face.

_Just shut up._

"When was the last time you were with someone, my lord?" he asked. "Is there anyone in your life that you would go to any length to protect?"

She was about to inform him that such a question was none of his business, brother or not, she was allowed to have some privacy.

_You haven't been with anyone_, Keera reminded her, _not since…what was his name? Urtel something…he was the boy that died on Alderaan."_

Avaryss winced.

Yes, she had been with another Sith a while back, more than a while actually. Urtel had been a tender and generous lover, they had only shared one night, but it had been nice.

After that, she had been busy, too busy, and he had been sent off to serve Sith interests on Alderaan, and had been slain shortly after, or so she had heard.

Since that time, there had been no one else, she had sought comfort with Taya for a time, but even that ended when her friend was married.

No, she had been alone these many months, with only her thoughts and desires of Fenn to keep her company.

It had not been the best of arrangements.

This is a distraction, the darkness within her said, you have a duty to the Empire, you must focus on that.

Your personal life can wait.

Yes, she thought.

It could wait.

"I don't have time to deal with this right now, Beric," she told him in a cold voice, "We are returning home and we will be trying to stop a rebellion**, that** is what is important, **that** is what takes precedence."

She gave him an icy glare.

"You wish to handle this, fine. Settle matters with Xen, if that is your desire, but don't say that I didn't warn you."

She shook her head.

"I will be sad when you are gone."

If he still believed the threat of is current paramour, he did not show it. He actually smiled.

He looked pleased that she was going to let him handle this.

The fool, she thought...

…The misguided fool!

Beric shook his head.

"I still can't believe that the people are rebelling back home."

"I didn't want to believe it either, but it is happening. I've read the reports."

He nodded, no doubt wondering how best to deal with this situation.

So you are to be the dark lord of Oridanna? You have full command to deal with this?"

"No," she said sullenly, "Moff Galek and Darth Sadi remain in control, I'm serving as a High Inquisitor, I'm to deal with the rebels and see that everything returns to normal, nothing more."

Beric frowned.

"That seems kind of limiting. If those in power have allowed this rebellion to flourish, how does the council expect you to clean up the mess?"

"I don't believe they do," she admitted, "In fact, I'm reasonably certain that Darth Feer _**wants**_ me to fail, so that he can come in and crush the rebels utterly."

She shook her head.

"He is starting to see me as a rival, he wants me to fail, to continue to weaken my position."

Beric nodded; no doubt he understood what that meant.

"But…the Empire needs Oridanna," he reminded her, "We are in the middle of a war. If the supplies are cut for too long…"

_Yes…she knew._

The empire relied on Oridanna's exports, the food to feed their troops, and the spores to enhance their medical technology. If the army was denied those supplies the Empire could lose ground. The Republic was already emboldened by their victory over the Emperor.

If the Sith fleet and army were forced to fall back…

…It could be the end of everything.

Feer was willing to gamble with their future just to make her look bad.

She hated that.

"I'm well aware of what could happen," she growled, "Which is why I need all my loyal forces at their best. You, Bleez, Xen, Holli, and the others when she manages to track them down, I need you all, and failure is not an option."

Beric frowned, she could feel the anger radiating off of him.

"Feer," he growled, "I know you said that we should wait until we were ready to be rid of him, and you likely know him well enough to recognize when that time will be, but…"

"But you hate the waiting," she said, "In this, we are in agreement."

She gave him a cruel smile.

"Be patient a while longer, Ric. I've just recently acquired an asset that will serve us well when the time comes to deal with my master."

What kind of asset," he asked, "some kind of weapon?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes, I suppose you could call it a weapon, regardless, it will require a bit more time to get everything ready...

She did not mention the fact that the asset was Darth Feer's daughter. She was not sure if he would be able to appreciate the subtle nature of what was to come.

She hoped that he was, but…

…No, she would keep this matter to herself for now.

"When can I see this…asset," he asked.

"When I finish with my business on Korriban," she promised him, "By then I should have a better understanding of how best to use it against my master. Until then, I ask you to be patient. Things will start to fall into place soon, I promise you that."

He nodded; she felt his acceptance through the Force.

He was willing to wait…

…for now.

"Are we going to have any back up when we reach Oridanna, any troops to aid in our work?"

"Darth Sadi has command of Lord Feer's forces. As Bael's new master, she has the final say on troops. As for us, we have been offered the use of Darth Feer's enforcers, they have been ordered to obey me in carrying out my mission."

"All Feer's people then," Beric said shaking his head.

That is not good; we will need people we can trust if you are going to pull this off."

Avaryss smiled.

Bleez had said something similar during their most recent conversation. Her brother had good instincts, but he lacked the ruthless nature that was needed to be a full Warmaster.

That was why she had offered the post to Bleez and not him. She feared that her brother would not be…comfortable with everything she expected of her top military advisor.

Bleez was comfortable with everything.

That was why the trooper was there.

Beric smiled.

"Maybe this would be good time for you to renew an old acquaintance." He suggested.

"And who might that be?" she asked.

"Ro Wilkes," he replied, "You two were fairly close once, maybe you should…"

He stopped in his tracks.

"Um…Keera?" he said.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Avaryss did not respond; it was taking all of her will to hold her temper in check, not do something to Beric that she would regret later.

_Ro Wilkes_, she thought.

_Roan Wilkes._

Ric was not wrong. She and Wilkes had been close…once.

Now…she wanted to peel the flesh from his bones!

In fact, for a time, it had looked like she might have been his future wife. His Father and her father had been friends for years, fought together and had come home as heroes of the last war.

Andur Lylos had been overseer for their district, while Wilkes had been the chief peacekeeper.

That had all changed the night that Darth Feer's forces first came to Oridanna.

Avaryss did not know all the details, what she did know was that Golan Wilkes had made a deal with one of Darth Feer's enforcers, he had promised to serve as the new overseer as long as Sith had made sure that Andur Lylos was out of the way, but that wasn't all.

Wilkes had also wanted Keera Lylos to have brought to him as a trophy, a pretty new wife to grace his son's arm and make what had happened to Andur Lylos and the others who had served with him seem that much more legitimate.

That plan had not worked out as Golan Wilkes had hoped. Keera's Force powers had manifested that night, and in doing so, she killed the Enforcer and his underlings.

That had been the night that her transformation into Avaryss had begun.

Had Roan Wilkes known about his Father's plan, she could not say for certain, not that it mattered in the long run?

The Lylos family was dead, and Wilkes had gotten his promotions.

"Keera?"

Her brother's words drew her attention, she realized that she had simply been standing their glaring silently at the wall, remembering what had happened that night, and all the nights before, the nights that she and Ro had been friendly, the two had grown up together, but it was clear that Ro had started wanting more in the last few years of their friendship.

Had he known about his father's plan, she did not have that answer. What she did know was that this presented a unique opportunity for her. It offered a chance for revenge, a revenge that was almost five years overdue.

The Wilkes family would pay for her family's death. She would see to it, she would destroy them all, rip out their family both root and stem.

She looked at her brother, feeling a bit better; the anger at hearing Ro's name had morphed into hate, and by doing so fueled her powers, giving her ideas.

She found that she was most eager to try them out.

"Keera," her brother repeated, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she promised, "just…getting some ideas."

"Good ones, I hope."

She almost laughed.

"Oh what she was thinking about was far from good. In fact the Wilkes family would likely call what she was thinking down right evil.

Avaryss knew better.

Evil was simply a point of view.

What did it matter if her enemies suffered terribly, especially if she found freedom in that suffering ,the freedom to give the rest of their people a new and better world, a better Oridanna.

It was a future that the Wilkes family and those foolish enough to rebel would never see.

Avaryss looked forward to their end.

It would be most enlightening.

She gave her brother a pleased smile.

"I will send you the reports I have on the problems back home, brother. I suggest you study them, and report any ideas you have to Bleez."

Beric snorted at that.

"I don't think Bleez likes me," he said.

"Don't take it personal, Bleez barely likes me."

She chuckled.

"I will not be on Korriban long," she promised, "Just long enough to pick up my new apprentice."

Having a new apprentice would be good, it would be a challenge, plus it would open up some possibilities when it came to her current students. She was still not certain what she was going to do with Xen, maybe she would have her new apprentice kill her, it would be an excellent test, and if done right, Beric would not be the wiser.

She would give it some thought.

First Korriban, and then Oridanna, she thought with a smile.

My life is about to get interesting again, she thought as an excited shiver ran down her spine.

That realization pleased her.

She was most fortunate indeed.


	7. Korriban

**Chapter 7: Korriban**

"Darth Avaryss, Inquisitor Chayn sends his regards…now…die."

Avaryss looked up as the assassin stepped out from behind one of the hooded statues that seemed everywhere in the Korriban Academy. The man moved as quiet as a shadow, and blocked her path down the corridor.

She smiled slightly…glancing up and realizing that she was in one of the many academy blind spots. The places where there were no holocams or listening devices, useful places indeed if one had someone you wanted to…remove.

She had known them well during her training here. She had used them herself a few times.

_No __**witnesses**__…no __**rules.**_

The threat took her back to a simpler time in her life, when becoming Sith had been her only motivation and she had been surrounded by enemies…

…Good times.

_I've only been back here for five minutes and someone is trying to kill me_, she thought. Despite the danger she could feel the rhythm that was Korriban through the dark side. All you had to do was step onto the planet's surface and you could feel it. It was both power and history, it made a young Sith sharp and fast.

Alas, she was not the only one privy to this power, no doubt her would be killer could feel it too.

It would make things…interesting to be sure.

Inquisitor Chayn, she knew no one by that name. Perhaps he was someone who had gotten caught up in one of her schemes on Dromund Kaas, or maybe he had schemes of his own, plans that were being stifled by her own and now he wished her out of the way.

Either idea was possible, not that it mattered.

She was not about to simply lie down and die.

At her side walked Warmaster Bleez, the trooper's force pike was in hand, Bleez was ready to fight and defend.

Avaryss stopped the Warmaster with a raised hand. She had been wrestling with impossible problems for weeks. She welcomed one with a simple answer.

It was…a nice change.

She drew her lightsaber and ignited it. She and the assassin began to circle.

"I don't know any Inquisitor Chayn," she said, "What issue does he have against me?"

The assassin, a slender human with bone white skin and yellow eyes glared at her.

"Not my job to provide information," he spat, "My business is to bring your head back to my employer in a box, preserved in carbonite…"

The killer grinned.

"My employer wants a trophy that will last."

He ignited his blade, the crimson light turning his pale skin pink.

Avaryss dropped into a Soresu guard, once she would have been totally confident in her victory here, but after the loss of her arm, she could not say for sure.

It was that lack of certainty that made things…interesting.

The threat excited her.

She did so love to be alive.

The assassin continued to shift the position of his blade, giving her almost no clue of what style he favored.

When he finally moved it was fast, far faster than most to be honest.

One second he was standing before her, his blade whirling in a slow hypnotic fashion, and the next…she was under attack.

He moved like a striking serpent, his grasp of Ataru, the acrobatic style, was impressive, He spun and cartwheeled around her, his blade humming like a swarm of angry shadow wasps. It took all of her concentration to just survive the first few strokes, and then she started to find her rhythm. Her knowledge of the defender's style rose up to shield her from the spinning death that was this hired killer.

Despite that power, she still felt…a little off. She had been training for almost two years now with her new hand, and still felt…a little clumsy when she needed to bring her left hand into play. She didn't try to use the Force to get her out of this, it would not have helped.

Sith assassins were trained to draw on the power of their Force Sensitive targets, the more she drew on that power, the stronger this man would become.

No, that fight would be a contest of skill, skill with a lightsaber.

She tried to rise to the challenge.

Her saber spun back and forth, blocking the man's attack. She was doing well, but…

She fumbled when switching her lightsaber to her left hand; it was almost the death of her.

The assassin got inside her guard, and managed to sweep her legs out from underneath her. She came down hard, despite using the Force to shield herself, it knocked the wind out of her momentarily, and in that second the assassin moved in, he brought his blade down again and again, she parried the first strike, and then was able to roll away from the second. She kicked out at the man's knee, trying to throw him off balance, he sidestepped the clumsy attack, but it gave her the few seconds she needed.

She was back on her feet again, and once more the two began to circle, ready for the next exchange.

Bleez stood back watching, if needed, the trooper would come to her aid, but Avaryss did not want it.

She had something to prove.

A Darth was death personified.

She needed to remind herself of that fact.

_But you are not really a Darth are you?_ Keera's taunting voice rose up trying to break her concentration. "_That is why the True Heart crew always escaped you. That is the reason why Fenn will never come to you. That is the reason that Shyra Viel defeated you back on Voss._

"_You are not really a Darth, Avy."_

"_You never were."_

Her eyes narrowed.

She did not wait for the assassin to come to her. She switched to Makashi, the duelist's style, and struck at him, emboldened by the thought of her losses in the last year. One loss in particular served best to fuel her power.

Shyra Viel had beater her on Voss.

It had been a personal embarrassment for her.

She hated to be embarrassed.

Hatred of the Jedi had long been built into the Sith teachings. Avaryss had felt it as her powers had grown. As with many of her Sith brothers and sisters, it was not uncommon to encounter a Jedi that became more than an abstract enemy, more than a simple servant of the light.

When the hatred of the Jedi became directed at a **single** Jedi; that is when things got serious. When a Sith found themselves opposed by one Jedi over all others, that is when the hatred of the light truly found expression.

Shyra Viel was that enemy. She was a Sith creation that had been…_turned_ by the Jedi to serve their ends. Had she remained a Sith, she might have been one of the Empire's greatest weapons, instead, she opposed them at every turn, and Avaryss was usually the one that stood for the Empire during those meetings. It had created a blood feud between the two, a vendetta.

Avaryss longed to end it.

The mongrel was her greatest enemy. She was the one that always seemed to be there when victory was snatched from her hands. She was the one that was always there when things went bad for Darth Avaryss.

They had first crossed swords on the space station known as the Wreck, and that had ended in stalemate. They had met again at the Battle of the Inferno Nebula, but circumstances had intervened again, and they had ended up on the same side…briefly.

Then the war had begun.

Then has come Avaryss' is mission to Voss.

It was _**that**_ loss that burned most of all.

"You lose witch," the mongrel had shouted as she made her escape.

"You will always lose."

It should have been an easy victory. It should have been the day that she finally ended the existence of Darth Terrog's foul creation. She should have been able to skin the mongrel that day, skin her, and bring her pelt back as a trophy to drop it at the feet of the Dark Council.

That victory had _**not**_ happened, as it had in their previous encounters, someone got in the way. One of the Voss mystics had accompanied Shyra Viel; he had gotten in the way at the very moment of Avaryss' triumph. The alien had perished for that interference, but in the end he had enabled Viel to not only escape, but to make off with the very item that the dark council had sent Avaryss to retrieve.

She had returned to the council empty handed. Fortunately for her, only Darth Marr had truly understood what she had been sent to find. The rest of the council had seen it only as a scouting mission gone bad, even Darth Feer, praise the Emperor.

Marr had let the matter go, she had accomplished just enough to ensure that the whole mess had not been a complete failure, but it was once again another instance of how Jas Dar Bynn and his fellow Jedi continued to haunt her life.

It was a situation that was quickly becoming…intolerable.

The assassin looked nothing like Shyra Viel, yet when she looked into his eyes she did not see the eyes of a servant of the darkside, she saw Viel's eyes, eyes that could see deeper into the infrared spectrum than any human or Sith pureblood was capable of, the yellow glow was not that of a Sith, but of an out of control animal.

That memory enraged her, and that rage fueled her power.

It was a rage that she now turned loose upon this would-be assassin.

He would suffer.

Again the assassin tried to get inside her guard, this time she caught him.

Her left hand shot out and seized him by the throat. Her metal fingers closed around his windpipe as she tightened her grip.

The world turned red, her vision blazed with blood as she squeezed. The assassin snarled and spat as he tried to get free. She caught his sword arm in a Force grip, not enough energy for him to absorb, but more than enough to hold his weapon in place.

He growled and clawed at her metal arm, trying to free himself. That growling only further made her think of Shyra Viel.

She tightened her grip even more.

You die here, mongrel, the dark side whispered in her ear.

He will tear out your throat with my bare hands!

The fight might have ended right there, but the assassin had one last card to play.

He reached out with the Force, seized one of the servos in her mechanical hand. He caused it shift just enough.

Her hand popped open, freeing him, with a gasp; he struck again with the Force, using a push to fling her back.

In her fury, she managed to block most of it, the push turned into a backward roll.

DAMN YOU MONGREL!" she snarled.

"DAMN YOU!"

The assassin retrieved his blade and tried to renew his attack, he charged her using the Force, he trying to catch her off guard with his speed.

Had she not been so lost in her rage, it might have worked.

She parried his strike, and advanced before he could fall back, he tried to cartwheel around behind her, but this time he was not fast enough.

Her blade caught him just above the left hip, her lightsaber cleaved through him, turning his cartwheel into a tumble

The assassin came apart in two pieces, what was left tumbled to the ground.

Avaryss was breathing hard, her fury and hatred fueling her powers, her eyes blazed with violet flame.

The assassin was beyond pain, the shock of being cut in half and defeated. He gurgled at her, still trying to rise, still trying to complete his contract.

She took his head with a single swipe of her lightsaber; it came away with a wet thud.

For a moment Avaryss was filled with elation.

The mongrel was finally dead.

Then…reality set in, she found herself back in one of the halls of the Korriban Academy, a Sith Assassin dead at her feet.

She took a deep breath and centered herself.

It was not really the outcome that she had been looking for, but it had been a nice distraction.

She imagined the day that she would look down and see Shyra Viel in such a position, to see the Jedi spilt and broken and her feet.

A beautiful day dream, one that she would see made reality one day.

You will die, my enemy, she promised.

One day, you will be mine!

"Are you alright, my lord?"

She turned to see Bleez at her side, the trooper stood at attention, awaiting her orders.

Avaryss smiled wickedly.

"Thank you for staying out of that," she said, "I would not have enjoyed having my sport ruined."

"You did well," her War Master said with a respectful nod, "Though I find myself curious, how did this man know that we were going to be here? Few people knew of our stopping here?"

Avaryss frowned.

As always, Bleez made a good point.

How had the assassin known she would be here?

The Emperor's Wisdom had left the Dromund System without posting a flight plan with Citadel control. Authorization by the council allowed that during times of war. All that was on record was that The Emperor's Wisdom had been reassigned to the Itae system, there had been no mention of a stopover on Korriban, and yet the assassin had been here.

The dark lord sighed.

It was most disturbing indeed.

She doubted this would be the last attempt on her life. Though she was not sure for the reason for it, as she had told the assassin, she did not know an Inquisitor Chayn.

She would look into the matter before she left Korriban.

"What do we do with this?" Bleez asked, referring to the fallen killer's body.

Avaryss sneered.

"There should be a refuse chute a few paces up and to the left," she told the War Master.

"Deaths such as this one are quite common here. We should have no problem disposing of this fool's legs and torso."

"As you wish," Bleez said bowing slightly, "But what about the head?"

Avaryss chuckled.

"The assassin claimed that he had been instructed to return with my head frozen in carbonite, see if you can find the device he was using, it should not be far, if he had wished to see my head secured quickly."

"We shall send the head back to the Citadel on Dromund Kaas, with a letter to this the Inquisitor Chayn. I will let the fool know that he had made an enemy this day, and warn him of the dangers of taking this matter any further."

"And if he tries again?" Bleez asked.

"Oh I'm sure he will," Avaryss replied, "At least this way there will be a record to why the man turned up dead, and he will once I understand the reason why he chose to attack me."

Avaryss looked down at the body, her temper starting to flare anew.

"I do not forget my enemies, Bleez. I won't forget this one."

She heard the sound of footsteps approaching, guards by the sound.

"Let us see this done quickly," she told Bleez.

"I still wish to speak with the overseers."

"I have an apprentice to find."

IOI

After a brief conversation with the Academy guards, Avaryss was on her way again.

The Dark Lord made her way down the hall, passing by both students and instructors. Some looked up as she passed by, whispering to their fellows, speaking only in hushed tones.

Despite her numerous successes, there were still those that remembered her rather…colorful history here on Korriban. The ups and downs of her student years had no doubt continued to be discussed, especially after her rise to power.

Avaryss could not care less.

She was no longer the Acolyte that she had once been. She was no longer the apprentice that had left in the charge of Darth Feer, she had grown beyond that, she was so much more now.

As a Darth she answered only to her master and the Dark Council. Rumors whispered in the halls of the academy had no bearing on her life.

Let the past die, she thought, the future belongs to me.

"We will see about that Avy," Keera said.

"We will see about that."

Avaryss ignored her.

She had no time for lesser half right now.

She was on her way to find her newest student.

She would not get sidetracked.

"You are slime. You are filth. You are what real Sith Lords scrape off the bottom of their boots."

She heard a barking laugh.

"You are all walking corpses, never believe otherwise."

Avaryss smirked.

Somethings never change, she thought.

Thank the Emperor.

She found her way into the overseer's office. Four acolytes stood at attention as one of the two overseers spat his venom at them. He was human, short and stocky with rust colored hair and grey eyes, or rather…eye.

Oh dear, she thought.

What has happened to him?

The overseer was not as he had once been, one of his arms was gone, replaced by a cybernetic replacement, his face was burned, and his right eye and ear were gone, replaced by a droid optic and audio receiver.

Yet, in spite of the damage he seemed as strong and as hostile as ever.

Avaryss smiled.

Good for him.

She cleared her throat, drawing his attention; he turned his remaining eye flashing with anger at this interruption.

His anger faded when he saw her, when he realized who it was.

The left side of his mouth twitched into what might have been called a smile, the right side remained slack and dead.

"Well, well, my lord," the overseer said warmly, "This is a most unexpected pleasure."

She grinned.

"Hello Harkun," she said returning his smile, "It has been a while hasn't it?"

"It has indeed, my lord. Time and the Force seem to have been kind to you."

Avaryss shrugged.

"I wish I could say the same for you, overseer," she said gesturing to his metal parts, "I'm guessing things have not been the most pleasant for you."

Harkun snorted at that.

"I had a…disagreement with Lord Nox, my lord," he informed her, "He sought my end, revenge for his treatment while under my tutelage."

Harkun sneered.

"As you can see, I've endured."

"And the Sith are better for it, I'm sure, overseer," she said respectfully.

"It is pleasing to see you still serving here."

"You flatter me, my lord," Harkun said.

"Not at all," she replied.

"You saved me despite our history. It is good to see that the Force rewarded you for that."

The overseer nodded.

Avaryss almost laughed.

She and Harkun had a…interesting history to say the least. He had embarrassed her badly on her first day as an acolyte here. Yet, when her lover was killed and she accused of the crime, he had taken her under his wing. He had continued her training despite the fact that most here had seen her a pariah. True, she had been reduced to being his thug, but by taking her in, he had given her a chance to recover, to regain her powers and reach the plateau she had now found herself on.

She was…grateful for that.

She turned to the four acolytes in his office, the ones he had been insulting.

They were a curious quartet to be sure.

"I trust this is not merely a social call, my lord," he said, "Few dark lords come to see me simply for the pleasure of my company."

"I can't imagine why," she said dryly, "You are such an interesting man, overseer."

She chuckled.

"But you are also correct; I've come seeking a new apprentice. I was hoping that you might have someone…who might serve my needs."

The human acolyte on the far left chuckled.

"If the young lady wishes me to…serve her needs," he said with a lecherous smile, "I'm more than happy to oblige."

Harkun glared at him.

"Hold your tongue, worm," he spat, "This is Darth Avaryss, she is Dark Lord of the Sith and more powerful and important than you will ever be."

Avaryss found the urge to giggle.

There had been a time that Harkun had thought her less than nothing.

It was good to see how quickly a title and a lightsaber could change someone's opinion.

"Once I stood where you stand now," she told the four, "I fought as feebly as you, struggled as you struggled."

Her smile turned shark like.

"I adapted, and grew stronger. I know many secrets of the dark side. One of you…may just live long enough to learn from me."

She glared at the acolyte who had spoken out of turn.

"We shall see how…skilled you are soon enough."

She turned back to Harkun.

"Introduce me to these…students, Overseer. I'm pressed for time."

"As you wish, my lord," Harkun said.

He pointed to the human that had spoken, he was balding, with straw colored hair, and blaster burn across his left cheek.

"This one is called Stryke," Harkun informed her, "He was an assassin that Imperial intelligence picked up. He fancies himself an expert duelist with blaster pistols, uses the Force to ricochet his blasts where he needs them to go."

Stryke stood up straighter.

"I never miss, my lord."

She laughed at that.

"Blasters are uncivilized weapons Acolyte."

Stryke sneered.

"Not how I use them, my lord."

She sneered at him; his arrogance might be his undoing if he was not careful.

She would watch him.

She turned to the next Acolyte; this one was a Zabrak female. She knew that the Zabrak race had a certain affinity for the Force.

She wondered what this one could do.

"This one is Webb," Harkun said, "She has a talent for illusion and trickery."

"Both are powerful weapons of the dark side," Avaryss said.

She came in closer, looked the Acolyte in the eye.

"We shall see how well your tricks serve you in the final trial."

"You will not be disappointed, my lord," the girl said, "I know how to survive."

Avaryss smirked and stepped back.

We will see, she thought.

The third in line was of a species she did not recognize, the creature was tall and slender, It bald head and long face, were twisted into a merry smile.

"Master Avaryss," it said, "I am Dym,"

Harkun snorted.

"It is a fitting name, my lord. His chances of passing the trial are as dim as his wits."

The alien glared at Harkun."

"I will prove you wrong, overseer, you will see."

"I will believe it when I see it, slime," Harkun replied.

The overseer turned back to Avaryss.

"This one is called a Muun. He was a con artist. He used the Force to swindle wealthy merchants, pretended to be a financier."

Dym snorted.

"I am no con artist sir," he said, "I had just begun a law practice on Munnilinst when the war began."

"You were a lawyer?"

"I was…"

The alien smirked.

"…I've come to see that serving myself is far more useful than serving others."

Avaryss nodded.

A wise attitude, she thought, provided he tempers that greed with what is good for the Empire.

This one might go far. She thought, with proper training.

The last was Sith pureblood, which surprised her. Harkun did not usually get the pureblood students; typically he was given the hard cases, the trouble makers.

"This is Hudlo," Harkun informed her, "He claims to be the illegitimate son of one of the Council members. He was caught by Imperial security plotting to assassinate his…father."

The pure blood grinned.

"A Sith must arrange his own promotion, is that not so, master?"

Avaryss nodded.

It was so, but failure was reward with death.

The pureblood was lucky his head was still attached.

Dark council members did not tolerate those trying to assassinate them, even during peace time.

Perhaps there was something to Hudlo's story.

She would see.

Harkun cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the Acolytes.

"You all know your next trial, get to it."

The four rushed over, leaving Avaryss and Harkun alone.

The overseer shook his head.

"Filth," he snarled, "Oh how I miss the days that real Sith walked these halls."

She chuckled.

"Acolytes like me, Overseer?"

Harkun laughed.

"I will not deny that you were difficult at times, my lord. You were arrogant, and thought the rules did not apply to you, but with training and seasoning you found your place."

She nodded. She was not sure she completely agreed with his assessment, but what did it matter now.

He had given her the tools she had needed to rise.

She was grateful for that.

Avaryss glanced up at sound of approaching footsteps.

Her eyes narrowed.

She felt…something, a presence she had not felt in years.

Korriban's second overseer arrived, a portly Sith pure blood, in fancy robes with gold jewelry adorning both his hands and ears.

He smiled as he saw Avaryss.

"Well, well," he said with a large friendly smile, "I see the bright eyed hopeful I knew, in the dark lord before me."

He offered his hand.

"Hello again, young Avaryss."

"Overseer Phylon," she said holding out her hand.

"It has been a while."

Phylon had been the Force instructor at Fury 9; the Sith Academy where she had first began her journey among the order. He had taught Force abilities do the hopefuls there, and had first introduced her to Sith Sorcery.

Avaryss owed him much for that.

"So," she said, "You are the new Tremel."

Tremel had been another instructor of Avaryss' he had turned his back on her, when she had been accused of poisoning her lover and trying to run away.

Avaryss had never forgiven him for that.

She was glad to hear that he was gone.

Phylon chuckled.

"Was that the name of the Sith I replaced? I must confess that I know little of the man, only that he got on the bad side of a high level Darth and paid the price."

Avaryss glanced at Harkun; she had not heard this story yet.

Harkun shrugged.

"Tremel made the mistake of playing with Darth Baras, trying to influence his choice in apprentice."

Avaryss winced.

She had worked with Baras.

She knew that the man was not to be trifled with.

"Baras ordered Tremel's last favorite to kill him, to prove herself worthy of entering his service. The Acolyte did as he ordered, she even killed Tremel's daughter, further proof of how far she was willing to go."

Avaryss nodded.

Ah, she thought.

Now that makes sense.

"If we are thinking of the same acolyte, I believe that this one is now serving as the Emperor's Wrath, and that she killed Baras for his own treason."

Phylon chuckled.

"That is gratitude for you."

Avaryss smirked.

Yes, she thought, it is.

Phylon gave her a friendly smile.

"We would be honored if you were to dine with us this evening, my lord. If you are here seeking an apprentice from Harkun it will take another day or so at least before this lot finally whittles its way down to one."

"Phylon is not wrong, my lord," Harkun admitted, "Slime they may be, but talented slime."

"We would be honored by your presence."

Avaryss shrugged.

"Why not, it will give me time to study a bit before setting off on my next mission. I accept your offer, and will join you both this evening.

The overseers beamed, despite their place as overseers of this academy, it never hurt to get in good with a Dark Lord.

Tremel had learned that the hard way.

He should never have tried to go up against Darth Baras.

That choice had been very foolish.

Avaryss had excused herself then, and went to see about arranging some quarters for the night. She also needed to contact Colonel Glasc and inform him of the delay.

She would not rush into the matter of claiming a new apprentice.

She wanted to make sure she got the best of the four she had seen.

You probably could have done better had you gone to Phylon, the dark side whispered in her ear, "If he has replaced Tremel, you could have had your pick of the Academy's top students.

Perhaps she thought but then again, she understood the value of having an apprentice who had to fight for everything they had, who scrapped their way to the top, not been handing everything because of who their parents were.

No, Harkun's students would serve nicely.

She was sure she would find a decent apprentice among them.

It would be interesting to see how her new student interacted with her old ones. Necris was willing to compete for her spot; another apprentice might inspire her to even greater heights. Xen…well…she still was not sure if Xen was going to survive the next few weeks.

Beric would not like that, but his judgment was the best right now.

She would make the choice soon.

As she made her way back to her ship; her thoughts once again turned to the assassin she had slain. How the man had managed to track her down here.

Could Lord Feer have been behind this attack, had he tipped off this Inquisitor to where she might be found?

It was possible.

More and more she found herself not looking forward to this mission. It would be hard enough dealing with a rebellion on her former homeworld, having to fight off her fellow Sith just made that job that much harder.

What if this rebellion was more than it seemed, she thought, what if this is all some scheme to further weakness her position, or to simply kill her outright.

Either could be possible. More and more she knew that she would need her allies beside her. Holli had yet to hear back from either Necris or Mister Rink.

She hoped that they would return soon.

She would need all the help she could get.

As she emerged from the academy she saw someone waiting near her ship.

Her eyes widened slightly.

The creature was huge; it stood almost nine feet tall, with yellowish pale skin. Amber colored eyes burned beneath a cold unforgiving brow, the creature's skin was marked by tattoos and what might have been some form of cybernetic enhancement.

Avaryss recognized the creature. She had seen pictures of it in books she had studied during her training.

The creature was called a Deshade; they were an alien race that had served the Sith Empire during its golden age almost two millennia ago. Deshade assassins were said to be able to devour Force users, and were bound to the death to whatever master they served.

Avaryss knew that few of the creatures remained; they had mostly died out during the Sith Holocaust the few that remained had only survived because their masters had placed them into stasis.

Her hand drifted to her lightsaber.

Was this yet another assassin? Had the Inquisitor who had sent the first one had another waiting should his first killer fail?

The Deshade noticed her and moving quite quickly for one so large ambled towards her.

Avaryss held her ground, unsure of what this creature might want.

Unlike before, she was not standing in a blind spot, if the Deshade attacked, troopers would come running. She…

"Avaryss, darling," the creature called out in a strange ghostly feminine voice, "It has been far too long."

The dark lord blinked.

She knew that voice. It had been awhile since she heard it, but…

No, it could not be.

"Do you need something, monster," she asked, "I'm a busy woman."

The Deshade made a sound that might be laugh.

"Too busy for Dark Council business, dear, I think not."

Something in the way the creature talked struck a chord. It jogged her memory.

She did know that voice. She just…could not believe it."

"Zash?" she asked, "Lord Zash, is that you?"

The creature sniffed.

"I achieved the rank of Darth before my…change; I will have you know _**Darth **_Avaryss."

Zash's stress of her title reminded Avaryss of just how jealous the other Sith had been when she achieved Darth status before her.

Zash was the type to hold a grudge, how she had ended up in the body of a Deshade, Avaryss could not say.

It was best not to provoke her, who knew if this version of Zash shared a Deshade's appetites.

She would rather not risk it.

"You said you were here on council business," Avaryss reminded her, "Is that true?"

"It is," Zash replied, "My apprentice is eager to speak with you. He comes with orders from Darth Marr. If you will follow me, I will take you to his quarters."

Avaryss pursed her lips.

She was starting to wonder when she would hear from Marr; apparently he was still too busy to contact her directly, so he had sent Zash's apprentice, her former apprentice to speak with her.

Darth Nox is hear on Korriban, she thought, and if he is here with Marr's blessing, that means that it is Cabal business.

She could not afford to ignore it.

"Lead on Zash," she said, "I will speak with your…master."

The Deshade growled in the back of its throat. She could only imagine how the thought of being bound to Nox must have angered Zash.

_We all have our masters_, Avaryss thought, _the smart Sith recognizes that and waits for the right opportunity._

Freeing yourself from a master was never easy. Nox had done it, first with Zash and then with Darth Thanaton.

Whatever he had for her, she was eager to see it.

The Cabal was always concerned with the Empire, and Oridanna was a major part of that.

"This way, Avaryss," Zash said, her pouting voice sounding strange coming from the throat of a Force eating assassin.

"My apprentice…is waiting."


	8. Frustration and Loneliness

**Chapter 8: Frustration and Loneliness**

As it turned out, Darth Nox was not ready to see Avaryss as Zash had claimed.

The Sith in the Deshade's body led the Dark Lord to her master, or apprentice, if Zash was to be believed, only to discover that Nox had…other matters he was attending to.

Avaryss pursed her lips in disgust as she entered the Council member's chambers. From the sounds coming from the bedroom…it was clear that Nox was…more than occupied.

"Yes, my master," a young woman's voice cried out, "Please my lord…more…more…MORE!"

"You like this…my sweet Ashara? Do you enjoy what I'm doing to you?!"

"Yes…my lord…yes!"

Do you wish me to stop?"

No."

"I will stop."

No! PLEASE!"

"Beg me then…beg for you pleasure.

"Please my lord…"

The girl cried out, she squealed with delight!

"PLEEEEEEEASE!"

"YEEESSSSSSSSS!"

Avaryss shook her head.

The name Ashara was known to her, from her time on Corellia, aiding Darth Nox during the Kaggath against Darth Thanaton.

Ashara Zavros was one of Darth Nox's apprentices. She had been a Jedi student once, or so the rumors said. She was of the Togrunta species, a race of red skinned humanoids with pale skinned head tails and horns, they were said to be one of the more predatory races in the Republic. It was unsurprising that one would choose to walk the dark path.

This one, this Ashara, was said to have been an arrogant young Padawan who Nox had manipulated into helping him, or so she heard. She had aided him in destroying her Jedi Master, and then in his war against Darth Thanaton, and helped him claim his place on the Dark Council

It was also said that the former Jedi and the Dark Council member were lovers; that the dark lord had literally seduced the young Jedi with pretty words and…his...physical skills. He had used both to turn her away from her former life. Until that moment she did not entirely believe that that could be so.

Avaryss sighed.

Was it really **that** surprising? Before his rise to the Sith, it was said that young Council Member had been trained as a pleasure slave.

_Why wouldn't he use what he had been taught to sway a pretty one to his cause?_

Was it any surprise that some innocent little Jedi would fall for his charms?

From what she was hearing, it was clear that the girl had no complaints, and that Darth Nox and Ashara Zavros were far more than just master and apprentice.

_Well…that was one way to ensure someone's loyalty._

For the second time in only a few days, Avaryss once again felt awkward and embarrassed.

She cursed under her breath.

_What was this_, she asked herself_, Sith __**mating **__season?! First her brother and Xen, and now Darth Nox and his apprentice…was there no end to such dangerous…coupling?_

_People are scared right now_; Keera's voice said inside her head, _the death of the Emperor has thrown everyone into a panic. Imperial morale is at an all-time low. They are now looking for a way to move past it, an outlet for that fear. Ironically enough, the Empire is looking for hope._

Love and mating, that is looking to the future. It is not surprising that Sith are turning to their lovers and concubines right now. She suspected that in the coming months, the Empire would see a surge in the population, a new generation of Sith and Imperials would likely be born out of their parents need for comfort.

In her head, Avaryss understood that, but at the same time, it made it no less awkward to be standing in this room right now.

Part of her wanted to leave, to forget Nox and Darth Marr's supposed ordered. If Nox had been anyone else, had he not been a member of the Dark Council she would have done just that.

She sat down, in one of the many chairs in the room…and waited. She tried to tune it out; the sounds coming from the room were both embarrassing and enraging her.

She looked over at Zash. Had _**she**_ known what was going on? Was this all some sort of sick game to her?

Had she desired to anger Avaryss? Was this some petty revenge for not using her Darth title when they met?

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"You could have warned me," she growled.

The Deshade said nothing; the huge monster seemed oblivious to what was going on.

"**Zash,"** Avaryss spat, "**Zash** can you hear **me?"**

The creature turned to face her, its alien face twisting with an anger all its own.

"I am not the woman you seek little Sith," the Deshade said in a cold masculine voice.

"Oh really," Avaryss replied dryly, "Who might you be then?"

The Deshade stood a little straighter. It radiated with a sense of dark pride and strength.

"I am Khem Val, servant of Tulak Hord, who was called the Lord of Hate, master of the gathering darkness, and Dark Lord of the Sith!"

Avaryss considered what she had just heard.

So…this creature was once Tulak Hord's personal monster?

_Wasn't that interesting?_

She decided to show respect where it was due. Tulak Hord may have been gone, but his legend remained.

"Pleased to meet you Khem Val," she said, "I take it that Zash does not have full control of your body then?"

The Deshade growled.

"The woman is a sickness; yet, another torment that this life has chosen to bestow upon me."

The morose sound of the monster's voice surprised her.

"My new master has not found a way to remove her…yet." Khem Val admitted, "And so, I must endure until I can find the strength to either rid myself of her, or my master chooses to remove her himself."

Avaryss nodded.

She found herself…surprised. Surely the lord of the Pyramid of Knowledge would have found a way to remove his former master's spirit form such a powerful body. Avaryss had done some research work for Zash during her time as an Acolyte on Korriban. The woman was both intelligent and ruthless. Leaving her in such a powerful form was dangerous. Nox was courting destruction by doing so.

It was likely in both his and Khem Val's interest to see the Sith Lord's spirit removed, and yet…Nox did nothing. She thought that Nox was courting his own death, while Khem Val was forced to suffer in silence.

She felt sorry for the monster, and she knew how he felt.

Yes…Avaryss could most definitely relate.

"I wish you good fortune in your continue fight against Zash, Khem Val," she said, "Never let anyone take away what is yours by right."

The Deshade growled, but he did nod.

If he trusted her words, she did not know, but she had meant them none the less.

Perhaps they could both find a way to free themselves of the annoying voice in their minds. If Khem Val could overcome Zash, then perhaps she could overcome Keera.

She hopes so.

As she sat quietly, awaiting Darth Nox, she found herself growing more and more frustrated. Not only for having to wait, but the situation in general.

Avaryss's fingers curled into angry fists.

It seemed everyone she knew was no longer alone. Taya had Fimm. Beric had Xen. Rink was off finding his former love; they might be in each other's arms right now. Nox apparently had his apprentice, from the continued sound of their lovemaking.

A snarl escaped Avaryss' lips.

_I wield great power_, she thought, _I'm a Darth of the Sith Empire, but in spite of it all…I stand alone._

Rage and jealousy rose up inside her, a fury that wanted to explode.

It almost found its release in the couple in the next room.

Avaryss gave some serious thought of drawing her lightsaber, walking into the bedroom and killing both Nox and his Togrunta toy. Khem would likely have tried to stop her, of course, or perhaps he wouldn't, if Zash had control, she doubted that the old witch would care if her old apprentice was eliminated.

Avaryss shook her head, her hand drifting to the weapon clipped to her belt.

She was tempted.

She was so very tempted to end the two for causing her embarrassment.

"_Are you jealous of the former Jedi then,"_ Keera asked, "_Do you want Nox for yourself, oh dear, what would Fenn say?"_

"Shut up," Avaryss growled under her breath.

The jealousy she was feeling had nothing to do with the girl. The former Jedi was welcome to Darth Nox. She was not Necris.

The Devish **would **have killed the Togrunta, she was sure of that.

Necris did not like to share.

Avaryss' first apprentice had an infatuation with Darth Nox; she had had one since the Kaggath.

Avaryss did not really understand it truth be told, but knew it was there.

According to Necris, the young council member had an affinity for death that she found…irresistible. She claimed that he smelled of fresh grave earth, and that it was intoxicating. During their time on Corellia, Necris had tried several times to get the young Lord Kallig's attention.

It had not worked; he remained out of her apprentice's reach. Despite joining the Sith, Necris remained a bit…inexperienced when it came to matters of the heart and romance, she did not understand how to begin. That lack of understanding angered her. She had used that anger and frustration to fuel her power, but the Devish's desire remained.

If Necris was here, she would have happily gutted the Togrunta for what she was doing in that room. Angry that it wasn't her enjoying the Dark Lord's…skills.

No, Avaryss felt _**no**_ desire for Darth Nox; her heart belonged to another, to one that continued to remain outside of her reach and control.

The thought of Fenn being out there alone, knowing that he was not at her side was infuriating.

_All around me_, she thought, _my fellows are enjoying the company of others, finding release in coupling, while I stand alone, the one I desire is far from me, lost behind a wall of duty and Jedi training._

Fenn was hers.

_He __**should**__ have been hers!_

_Why could she __**not **__have the one thing she truly wanted?!_

_Why?_

_WHY?!_

Her anger continued to grow.

_Was this her fate?_

_Was she destined to be alone?_

_Was power and the dark side all she would ever know_?

It should have been enough, it would have been enough for other Sith, but it was not enough for her.

She wanted…**EVERYTHING**, and everything started with Fenn.

He was hers.

He had to be hers.

It had been easy to ignore these feelings when she had been dedicated to bringing Fehl, her original lover back to life, the goal had kept her focused, but with his final end, and her finally letting go of that desire, she found herself truly alone. It was like a hole inside her heart. She could feel it echoing with both pain and longing.

Did Fenn miss her as she missed him, did he ache with desire as she did?

She despised herself for feeling so weak…so…**mundane**. Power should have been all that concerned her; it should have washed away all the weaknesses of her former life.

Keera, of course, reveled in her pain; the shadow of what she had once been took great pleasure from Avaryss' suffering.

_Behold the great Darth Avaryss_, she would whisper, _Behold the one who had slain both Jedi Masters and Dark Lords of the Sith. Behold the one who traded a chance at happiness for power, and will now be consumed by that choice._

"_Fenn will never be yours, Avy, you will die alone and of a broken empty heart. The loneliness that you feel will consume you, and when you do…I shall rise anew._

_All that you gathered will be mine._

_Fenn will be mine, and you will be just a memory, a nightmare that faded with the dawn._

You can't fight loneliness, it will consume you.

It will do what all your enemies can not.

It will destroy you Avy, and I will be there to laugh when it does.

Avaryss fingers curled into fists, she almost screamed in rage, almost shrieked for Keera to "shut up."

It would do no good.

Keera was not really here, but at the same time, she was…

…and she was growing stronger.

The sounds from the bedroom finally ceased, they turned to soft sighs and cooing. Avaryss sensed Nox reaching out with the Force. She did not hide her presence, or her anger.

She did not like being kept waiting.

Darth Nox, Lord of the House of Kallig, Member of the Dark Council, and Master of the Pyramid of Knowledge emerged from his chambers, clad in a bathrobe. The handsome young dark lord blinked in surprise when he saw Avaryss there, waiting for him...

…Surprise that quickly morphed into anger.

"Lord Councilor," she said bowing her head.

"You wished to see me."

Nox did not answer her.

He glared at Khem Val.

"What is the meaning of this Khem, you were supposed to tell her to meet with me tomorrow. I gave you specific orders."

Before the Deshade could respond, Avaryss decided to intervene.

"It was not his fault, my lord," she said, "It was Zash that met me at the spaceport, it was Zash that led me back here."

Avaryss gave him a small but cruel smile.

"I think she hoped that I would ruin your evening."

Nox cursed under his breath.

"Zash always did like her games," he said with a cold frown, "I will need to find a way to pay her back for this…interruption."

Avaryss smiled sweetly at him.

Nox was quite cunning, despite his history and upbringing. Plus he knew his former master.

Zash would regret toying with him.

Of course, that was for another day, she still had a mission to carry out.

She preferred to speak with Darth Marr before it began, to see how they could turn this to their advantage.

Oridanna was too valuable a prize to pass up.

She hoped that Marr would have an idea of how to proceed.

It had remained in Feer's hands for too long.

She hoped that her allies would agree.

The time had come to take it back.

"My lord?"

Ashara Zavros emerged as well, her slender crimson body wrapped in a blanket, her skin slick with passion sweat, her head tails twitching slightly.

She had her lightsaber in hand.

"I sense great anger," the girl said, "Do we need to defend ourselves?"

Nox smiled and turned to his lover.

"It is nothing, my dear, merely one of Zash's games. Go back to bed; I will be joining you shortly, after I tend to a bit of business."

He kissed her deeply on the lips, the former Jedi blazed with lust and desire through the Force.

Avaryss resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

That was one way to ensure an underling's loyalty.

As the two broke the kiss, the Togrunta once again retreated, with a playful smile on her face.

"Hurry back soon," she smirked, "Don't keep me waiting."

"As soon as I can," her master promised her, the dark lord radiated with contentment, but at the same time, a sense of excitement.

When the girl was gone and the door closed, Nox once again turned to Avaryss.

'I will send word to Marr; he wanted to speak with you."

Avaryss nodded, glad that that was over, and ready to get on with the business at hand.

'And I thought I was proficient in the corruption of young Jedi," she said with a smirk, "It seems that my methods are not the only way to accomplish such a goal."

Nox frowned at her.

"What I have with Ashara is none of your concern, Avaryss."

She held up her hands in submission.

"I meant no disrespect, my lord. You have no need to defend yourself to me. The girl is yours after all, your prize and apprentice, you can do with her as you see fit."

Nox was still glaring at her.

"She is **not **just a prize, **not** to me."

The council member shook his head.

"I would not expect you to understand."

She found herself thinking of Fenn. Unlike Ashara, he had not surrendered to the darkness.

Avaryss shook her head.

Nox would be surprised, she did know how he felt, the only difference between them was that his little Jedi had chosen to come with him; hers remained loyal to his order.

His choice continued to frustrate her.

_You would not desire Fenn if he was not so strong willed_, Keera reminded her, _it is that strength of will that you desire most, and makes him all the more irresistible._

Avaryss frowned.

Perhaps, Keera was right.

Still…she did not like it.

_Damn you Fenn, and damn me too._

_It's pathetic how I pine for you._

_If only I could be free of all this. _

It was the sweetest of torments.

Desire and frustration were at war.

If only Fenn would come to her and relieve this pain.

If only…

IOI

"You look…different Avaryss. I sense…a change in you, conflict" Darth Marr said coldly.

"Is everything alright?"

Avaryss cursed under her breath.

That was why she chose to wear her mask more and more. Keera's influence was becoming more and more visible, the physical changes easier to spot.

All another Sith had to do was look at her, look at her and reach out with the Force.

Speak quickly, the darkness within advised, do not let Marr get the wrong idea.

"The conflict you sense Lord Marr is simply my anger at being pulled away from the war," she lied, "As for my appearance. I've been experimenting with Sith alchemy lately, seeking to improve myself."

She smiled.

"The changes are…a side effect, nothing more."

"Hm," Marr said, his hologram flickered as he rubbed his chin with his right hand.

Did he believe her? She wondered.

Please let him believe her.

Darth Nox sat across from her, the young dark lord continued to radiate frustration for her interruption of his evening with his apprentice.

Yet, he was smart enough to remain focused on the business of the Empire.

The Cabal's goals were the Empire's goals.

Nox understood that.

"Do not let your frustration distract you, Avaryss," Marr advised, "Your mission to Oridanna is a necessary one to the war effort. The planet needs to be secured, this rebellion crushed, and its resources firmly in our grip."

Marr stood straighter.

"I trust you are up the challenge of securing it."

Avaryss nodded, but at the same time remained daunted.

"I must confess, my lord. This posting has surprised me. Once I knew Oridanna quite well, but…I have not been back there for years."

She sighed.

"I had many…interests on Dromund Kaas, interests that were just starting to bear fruit when Darth Feer chose to send me to the outskirts. It was…unexpected."

She frowned.

"I get the feeling that Darth Feer has found out about my various operations in the capital. I thought that this mission may have been an attempt to distract me from the power base I was building back home."

"Your instincts serve you well," Marr acknowledged, "Darth Feer is aware of what you have been up to."

"How is that possible, Lord Marr? I was so careful."

"He is aware because I told him, Avaryss. It was I that shared some of those secrets with your master."

Avaryss' eyes widened.

"My lord…I…what…"

Anger flashed in her eyes.

"Why would you do that? My plans served the Cabal, why would you jeopardize my position?"

"To ensure that you were reassigned to Oridanna," the Councilor informed her. "Securing the Empire's primary source of food and medical supplies is far more important to our interests than your operations on Dromund Kaas. Their ends, the death of your agents were a necessary loss, a sacrifice for the greater good."

Nox laughed at that.

"You maybe a Darth, Avaryss," he said, "But that does not mean that you do not remain a pawn of the Council. We move you where you are needed most."

Avaryss managed to suppress the angry snarl that tried to emerge from her lips.

Marr…he…he…

ARRRRRGH!

He could have warned her.

If he had let her in on what was going on she could have organized it better; made sure that she lost only her least valuable people.

"They are using you," Keera whispered in her ear.

"You are nothing to them, Avy."

"You are nothing period."

"Your place and position make you valuable Avaryss," Marr said, trying to sooth her ego, "Your reputation as a war hero will serve you well on Oridanna, it will open many doors as you move to secure the planet."

Avaryss sneered at that.

"If you sought to manipulate my master into sending me, you were only partially successful, Lord Marr," she informed him.

"My position on Oridanna is limited. I have no authority except to stop the rebellion. Feer's people remain in control of the planet."

Nox smirked at her.

"A minor inconvenience to such a skilled Sith, I'm sure." he said.

"Nox is right, Avaryss," Marr added, "I did not expect Feer to give you undisputed control of the planet, but he has given you a beach head, a chance to extend your reach beyond what he expects."

Marr pinned her with that hard gaze of his.

"In the past, young one, when someone gave you a meter…you took a kilometer. Do not see your position as a weakness, but as an opportunity. Use the unorthodox methods that you are famous for. Out maneuver Feer's agents, you will play them off against each other and increase your own standing, grow beyond what Feer expects and make this world your own."

Avaryss considered his advice.

It made…sense.

Feer was not stupid, but his underlings…well…that still needed to be determined. If she played this right, she would be able to garner more power from behind the throne then the one sitting on it.

It was risky, dangerous, and possibly suicidal.

She smirked.

It sounded…fun.

For too long she had been stuck in the morass of this war. Forced to deal with Jedi that she had respect for, that Fenn liked, it had limited her options in how best to deal with them.

Oridanna would be different.

She welcomed the chance to destroy Feer's pawns, and at the same time gain control of a resource that the Empire needed. Her control over Oridanna would see her power and position in the Empire rise.

Who knew, winning such victories might be just what she needed to free herself from Keera's influence, once and for all.

_Don't count on that Avy_, Keera whispered.

_You don't get rid of me that easy._

"I will need to tread lightly for a time, my lord," she informed Marr, "Feer has agents all around me, informants and spies. I may take time to neutralize them."

"Sadly, our time is limited," Marr informed her, "The Republic is pushing hard in the wake of their recent successes. The death of the Emperor has only emboldened their efforts."

"In other words, work fast Avaryss," Nox added.

"Crush this rebellion, Lord Avaryss," Marr ordered, "And then squeeze that valuable planet like a vice. We require much of them, and we must have all that we require."

Avaryss nodded.

The people of Oridanna had always risen to the needs of the Empire in the past.

She would make sure they did so again.

"It will be done, my lord," she promised, "As soon as I have my new apprentice, I will be on my way directly."

"See that you are," Marr said, "In the meantime, I shall make sure that none of our overly ambitious brethren throw the Empire into chaos while fighting over the throne."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"Be wary, lord Councilor," she warned, "Darth Feer also seeks the crown, his securing of the Emperor's station over Dromund Kaas is likely the first step in a much larger plan. We must all be mindful."

"Feer is being watched," Marr promised.

Nox chuckled.

"I'm surprised that you would speak out of turn, Avaryss. Are you not Feer's apprentice?"

She frowned.

"By accepting my place as a Darth, my relationship with Lord Feer has suffered. Once I would have stood beside him, if he ascended to the throne, it would have been to my advantage, now…that is no longer the case."

Avaryss sighed.

"If Feer does achieve the throne, I suspect that I will meet with a tragic and fatal accident shortly after. He will not take the chance of me being a single heartbeat away from the throne."

"Feer is overly ambitious, he always has been," Marr agreed.

"He is being watched. Have no fear."

Avaryss sneered.

"A Sith fears nothing," she said, "I'm merely being careful.

"My master owes me much; I will see that debt paid in blood…with interest."

"Secure Oridanna, and you may find that debt finally coming due, young Avaryss," Marr promised.

She smiled.

She welcomed that day with open arms.

"We all have our assignments," Marr said, "Avaryss will continue on her mission. Lord Nox we will need to speak privately, a new matter has just come up."

"Of course, Lord Marr," he said.

He turned to his Deshade.

"Escort her out, Khem; I have council business to attend to."

"As you say," the Deshade growled, motioning for Avaryss to follow.

She fell in step behind him.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening Nox," she said, "I'm sure your apprentice will enjoy any…_**lessons**_ you have for her."

Darth Nox sneered at her words.

"She is a fast learner."

"I figured as much," Avaryss replied, "It _**sounded **_like she was."

Nox blushed slightly, but said nothing more.

Avaryss followed the Deshade back out into the hall. Once again the monster took his position beside his master's door, barring any entrance.

"Fair well, Khem Val, she said, "May your greatest rival die screaming."

The Deshade growled.

"Safe travels little Sith," he said, "May we silence both the voices in our heads."

His words made her stop. She spun around and looked at him.

He…he had heard Keera?

How was that possible?"

"This one devours Force users," he reminded her, "I can sense the conflict within. Deal with its quickly, do not let it consume you, or I may be forced to consume you, on my master's command."

Avaryss frowned.

She thought that Keera was only in her head, if the Deshade had picked up on her.

Who else might be able to do so?

Avaryss left without another word, she still had a dinner to attend this evening. Phylon and Harkun were expecting her.

She was eager to get it over with quickly. She was eager for one of the four acolytes that she had met to finish their training and take their place at her side.

Oridanna was waiting; she welcomed the start of her mission, the true start.

It would be better than dwelling on her personal issues.

Frustration and loneliness.

If only she could kill them with her lightsaber.

If only…

**A/N: Next chapter, the new apprentice! Until next time dear readers.**

**DG**


	9. An Apprentice

**Chapter 9: An Apprentice**

Despite changing hands over the centuries, the Valley of the Dark Lords remained a critical part of the Sith Order. It was here that the Dark Jedi exiles of long ago had landed, it was here that they first encountered the red skinned people known as the Sith.

It was here…that the Empire had taken its first steps.

It was here that the Sith domination of the galaxy had begun.

It was here that the greatest of the Sith were brought after they fell, it was here that they were laid to rest in all the grandeur and ceremony that their names and titles allowed. Many secrets had been buried here over the millennia, some of them lost to time, until the Empire had returned…

Now, what had been hidden long ago was once again finding its way into the light. The Sith searched for the secrets of the ancients, and by finding them, ensure their rule in the future.

For the dark side to rule, its secrets needed to be unearthed.

It was for this reason that the world of Korriban remained relevant today.

Darth Avaryss stood upon the valley floor, looking up at the entrance of one of those tombs, its entrance cut right into the mountain side. Unlike the tombs farther down in the valley, this one did not boast the grandeur of the one who was buried here. The Tomb's entrance was a single shaft that went down deep into the mountain.

To the unenlightened, this might seem to be a tomb for someone who did not matter, no statues stood before the entrance, no image of the Dark Lord inside had been cut into the rock.

_Looks,_ Avaryss knew, _could be deceiving._

Many on Korriban referred to this place as _the Forgotten Tomb_, or perhaps _the __**Forbidden**__ Tomb_. It had first been discovered almost five years ago, and it had proved lethal to many Sith and Imperials since.

The Imperial Reclamation service had sent four teams in as many years into the tomb, to discover what they could about the Sith that had been interred here. Not a single member of those teams had returned. According to Imperial records at least eighteen Acolytes had been lost trying to retrieve artifacts from this tomb. They had entered on their master's orders or on a dare from their fellows. The losses of those Acolytes were never really investigated, why would they be?

If you fell, if you failed, you were forgotten.

Such was the way of the dark side.

Only one Sith had successfully returned from this place. Only one Acolyte had ever emerged once she had gone in.

Darth Avaryss had been only sixteen when she had first entered the tomb. She had come out days later, starving, dehydrated, and half mad. She had entered for only one reason, to earn her spot as her master's apprentice.

She had succeeded in that endeavor, and now her new apprentice would need to do the same.

Avaryss intended to return to the central chamber, to the place where the ancient dark lord was buried.

It was from there that she would administer her new apprentice's final trial. Within the hour, four students would enter this place, only one would leave at her side.

The other three were dead; they simply did not know it yet.

They would learn that soon enough.

The time of their final trial had come.

She began her journey up the ramp the Sith had installed years ago, unlike many of the other tombs in the valley, there was no staircase leading up. From its state of disrepair, it was clear that few people had visited this place in the years since she had survived her final trial.

_Good_, she thought, _the overseers had told her how this place remained mostly untouched, and through the Force she could feel the sense of malice that still hung over the tomb. _

Whatever this place was, the spells and traps remained as dangerous today as they had been during her time.

She grinned hungrily.

It would definitely test the young acolytes.

She had decided on this course of action during her dinner with the overseers. Harkun had mentioned how much the tomb's reputation had grown, and it was in that moment that she realized what she needed to do. She had made the request to carry out this trial right then and there. The overseers were understandably skeptical, but had no recourse but to grand her request. It was not unusual for a Sith Master to take a hand in their apprentice's final trial. Both Harkun and Phylon had been surprised that she would risk herself by doing so, but could not dissuade her.

_I expect no more from a future student than I'm prepared to do myself._

I found my way through this place once, I shall do so again. If one of the acolytes wanted her secrets, they would need to do the same.

They would learn the first lesson she had when it came to joining the order.

You succeed, or you perish.

There was no middle ground.

So she made her way forward, eager to find her way back to the burial chamber deep beneath the ground, much as she had done during her own trial. Of course, this time, she was far better prepared for what she might face. She had both water and nutrient tablets if the trial went beyond the first day, and unlike before, she was not alone.

Darth Nox had heard about what she intended to do, and asked that she take one of his servants along. He was a man from the Reclamation service, someone who had requested an opportunity to explore the tomb, but had always been denied. After all the losses, the tomb was considered too dangerous for a single researcher to enter alone.

"I must thank you again my lord for granting this request," the man said with a cheery smile, "After all that I've heard, I am most eager to start my exploration."

Avaryss tried to remain cordial with the man. The fact that he had Darth Nox's ear was not lost on her. She had tried to politely refuse him, but had been overruled by the Lord Councilor.

She had no choice but to allow the man to join her.

The situation had not pleased her.

"I cannot guarantee your safety, Lieutenant Drellic," she informed him, "Remember; you enter this tomb at your own risk."

Lieutenant Talos Drellic of the Reclamation Service grinned.

"This is not the first tomb I've explored, my lord. Though it is probably one of the oldest, I'm most intrigued by what we shall find inside."

Avaryss tried not to roll her eyes.

The little man had no idea.

Talos Drellic was a small pale skinned man with a slender build and dark brown hair. According to Darth Nox he was one of the Empire's most skilled researchers when it came to studying the Empire's past.

_He better be_, she thought, the tomb had a tendency of bringing your worst fears to life, and turning them against you. She had been forced to kill shades of her family for a second time, and that after her little sisters had tried to kill her.

The memory was not a pleasant one; she still woke with nightmares sometimes, hearing their screams as she brought a section of the tomb's ceiling down on top of them.

It had not been real, of course, but it had certainly felt real.

She glanced over at the strange little man at her side.

She wondered what horrors the tomb would confront him with.

Drellic had bombarded her with questions as they had made their way here in her speeder. Bleez had driven and would wait outside for their return. The Lieutenant was most curious about the illusions that she had seen, she had not gone into the full details of course, merely told him that she had been forced to face those she had loved, and that they had tried to kill her.

"A most interesting tale, my lord," Drellic had said, "I wonder what the tomb would confront me with? Sadly, I do not have a chance to experience it first-hand."

She gave the man a curious look.

"I'm not sure you can avoid it lieutenant," she warned him, "I could not stop it; that is for certain."

He gave her a sly smile.

"Ah, but you did not have access to the resources that I have, my lord." He reached into the pack he had brought along and pulled out both a medallion and a strange looking metal headband.

"What are those, lieutenant?"

"Trinkets that the Reclamation service has discovered, my lord, they are an extra layer of defense for those of us not blessed with the power of the Force."

He put on both the head band, and the amulet. She fought the urge to laugh at the strange little imperial.

There were always merchants hanging around outside the academy that claimed that they were selling trinkets that could protect you from the dark powers that still existed in the tombs. These merchants preyed on the greener acolytes, making them think that the junk they were selling would give the student and edge. Avaryss had never bothered herself, but the practice continued; the gullible were always looking for an advantage in all the wrong places.

As they entered the tomb together Drellic shifted the metal headband so it would sit more evenly on his brow.

Avaryss led them down the long descending ramp, which led into the first section of the tomb proper. As before she had almost tripped and slid all the way down, but as before, she had caught herself.

As the two of them reached the first chamber, Avaryss took in a deep breath and nodded.

The air down here felt so…familiar, like a long lost friend that embraced you after years apart.

She grinned.

It felt like the tomb was welcoming her back, or maybe trying to lull her into a false sense of security.

She had escaped once, maybe the spirit that existed here wanted to make sure that she did not escape again.

She was determined to remain mindful.

"Hear me, spirit," she called out to the shadows, "I have returned to honor your great power, not to steal from you, but to test those that think they are worthy of serving me. Four shall come, and three shall remain behind, their bones and lives enriching your domain. They are my offering, my sacrifice for being allowed to stand in your presence once again. I ask only that you allow us to pass unmolested. We are not here to steal from you, only to bask in your great power."

Avaryss expected Drellic to laugh at her for making such a statement, most Imperials did when it came to the spiritual side of the Force, they did not understand how much of a hold the past still held on the present.

Drellic said nothing, he merely looked around curiously.

"Wil the spirit appear," he asked, "Did you see it during your last visit?"

Avaryss chuckled.

"The spirit did not appear to me, no, but I felt a sense of being watched. It may have been my imagination, but why take chances."

"Power should be respected, lieutenant. We ignore the past at our own peril."

"Wise words my lord, very wise words indeed."

Drellic pulled out a holocam and began taking pictures, recordings of the room.

"Amazing," he murmured, "Intriguing, wondrous!"

"You found something?"

He nodded, grinning happily. He pointed his glow light at a stone symbol cut into the wall.

"I recognize that sigil, my lord. Although, it is slightly changed from the one I remember, perhaps the current one came about because of some alliance or loss later on, hm, no matter, still despite the variation, it is familiar to me."

'Whose sigil is it? What House is it from?"

"I believe it is a variation of the symbol of House Kressh."

"Kressh," Avaryss said, "As in Ludo Kressh?"

"The same, my lord, perhaps the lord that was laid to rest here was one of his ancestors, perhaps the first lord of his family line."

Drellic almost giggled with child-like delight.

"I wonder what type of a man he was."

Avaryss snorted with amusement.

"The tomb that we are standing in does not belong to a man lieutenant, it belonged to a woman."

He turned to her.

"A woman you say? Are you certain?"

Avaryss frowned.

She had not meant to volunteer any information about this place. She had not planned on telling Drellic about the scrolls she had discovered and been allowed to take out of here. Those secrets were hers, and she guarded them greedily.

Besides, Drellic was Nox's man, did she truly wish to share her secrets with a fellow Darth?

"I cannot give you the full details, of what I discovered," she told the man, "But what I can tell you is that the one that was buried here was likely one of the Jedi exiles that first landed on Korriban. She was also one of the first to choose to mate with a Sith high priest. From what I gathered, I'm guessing that her decision was not looked favorably upon by her fellow Jedi. It is possible she may even have been killed for her choice."

"Fascinating," Drellic said, "If what you discovered is true, than this is most definitely an important find. We know so little about the Dark Jedi that first came to Korriban, it was so long ago, and the names of those brave souls are now all but lost to time."

The lieutenant's smile faltered slightly.

"You claim that this woman was not looked upon favorably by her fellows; that is a shame. Especially considering the fact that within a generation or two, the Jedi' interbreeding with the native Sith became a common practice, it is most unfair that this young woman suffered so for being ahead of her time."

The researcher shook his head.

"Whoever you were, my lord, have no fear," he called out, "If you will allow it, I will make sure that your name is whispered again with the respect and reverence it deserves. The respect that escaped you in life will be yours again, I promise you."

Avaryss smiled.

Perhaps there was something to the little man after all.

He did not view these tombs as treasure troves to simply be plundered.

Maybe she would seek to draw Drellic away from Nox. His skill might be useful in her own work. After tall there were still sections of the scrolls that she had found here that she was unable to translate on her own.

Drellic may just be what she needed, who could say. She would have Bleez ask around, discreetly, get an idea of what the man's price might be.

"Come lieutenant," she said gesturing forward, "I will show you some of the sights that I discovered during my trial within the tomb, and then I shall take you to the burial chamber."

"You are too kind, my lord, I'm most eager to see the sarcophagus for myself."

"And so you shall," she promised, "Though I must remind you, that when the final trial of my future apprentice begins, you must not interfere, or speak of what happened to anyone, not even Lord Nox. That is the price I ask for allowing you to accompany me here."

"And a fair price it is," the man said bowing, "I will honor your request, my lord. It is the least I can do for the privilege of being allowed to explore such a wondrous part of our history."

"Excellent," Avaryss said, "Then follow me, and watch your step."

"I have such sights to show you."

IOI

The journey to the burial chamber was not as bad as Avaryss remembered; they had been attacked a few times by the native beasts, the shyrack and K'lor slugs that seemed to find their way into any tomb.

Avaryss continued to feel the dark side energies that filled this place, but, unlike before, they did not reach out and try to stop her advance.

Maybe the spirit had accepted her coming sacrifice, it may even have approved of her choosing this tomb as a testing ground.

Drellic was a child in a sweet shop; he paused every so often to take holo recordings of the various paintings and etchings that marked the wall. She was surprised to find that he was unaffected by the magic of this tomb, he made no mention of seeing anyone from his past, and none of the defenses rose up and tried to kill him.

It may have been because he was travelling with her, or maybe it was because he was content to simply take pictures and not try to steal any of the tombs many artifacts. Whatever the reason, they passed through the tomb mostly unmolested.

Avaryss stopped only once during the journey. She did so when she came upon the scattered bones of what had once been a former Sith Acolyte. She could tell by the ragged remains of the tunic who this person had been. She also found the skull off in the corner; she picked it up and regarded it thoughtfully.

"Hello Nass," she said to the skull, still here I see."

When Avaryss closed her eyes, could almost see her former ally's face. Her pretty features twisted into a scowl.

She and Nass had been good allies once, the Inquisitor's daughter had been a skilled tactician and led them to many victories, but when the girl had poisoned Avaryss' lover and tried to blame her for the deed, their relationship had changed.

Nass had been the first person that she had killed with her new lightsaber, the first, but not the last.

It was with the girl's blood that she had begun her journey as a full Sith.

She would always be grateful to her for that.

"What is that, my lord?" Drellic asked.

She laughed lightly.

Someone who stood in my way," she replied, "Someone blissfully forgotten."

Avaryss tossed the skull back down; it bounced back into the shadows and disappeared.

Goodbye Nass," she said, "And thank you for dying."

She turned and continued on.

She thought she had heard the sound of voices and weapons fire behind them, which would mean that the four acolytes were now in the tomb.

She needed to reach the burial chamber before them; it was there that she would administer their final test.

She was curious to see who made it to the final challenge, would it be all four, or would one come out of the shadows and claim his or her rightful place at her side.

She was most eager to see.

IOI

Hours passed as the trial continued. Avaryss and Drellic had scattered glow sticks around the central chamber, so that they could have light as they waited. The Dark Lord meditated before the dais, while the researcher moved back and forth between the various statues and art work that had been buried with the Lady of House Kressh.

That was the term that Drellic used. Since they could not find the woman's name in the tomb, Lady Kressh would have to do.

Occasionally the man would interrupt her meditations, but she did not mind. The little man had a talent for making interesting discoveries. What he had to say was never boring.

She was surprised to find that she was grateful to have brought him along.

He made the wait here…interesting.

Drellic would pause in his work every so often to drink some water or eat a nutrient bar. He offered one to Avaryss who declined.

The Force would sustain her for several days, as long as she had water, food was a minor issue.

She spent much of her time meditating, communing with the Force, and in doing so, keeping track of the four acolytes now struggling to survive.

The Force could not reveal to her exactly what was going on, but it did give her a good idea.

Thing were proceeding…slowly.

Two of the acolytes were currently engaged in a chase through the tomb. Whether this was because of tomb's defenses or a personal rivalry, she could not say. The third acolyte was wandering alone in the dark, perhaps lost, or being tormented by some specter of his or her past. The fourth had stopped, at least it felt like they had stopped, she thought that the acolyte was meditating, perhaps trying to draw on the power of this place.

Whatever the reason, she was not impressed.

If the acolyte wished to become her apprentice, sitting peacefully in a corner would not bring them any closer to that goal.

She slipped out of the Force and decided to take the lieutenant up on his offer. Nutrient bars were not the tastiest of meals, but they would sustain her.

She wondered how long it would take for one of the acolytes to emerge victorious.

Phylon and Harkun had taken wagers on their favorites; Harkun favored the Zabrak, while Phylon thought the pure blood would emerge victorious.

Avaryss had chosen not to get involved, she did not care which one emerged, as long as they followed her orders, and listened to her teachings.

She would need someone both cunning and powerful when she arrived on Oridanna. Whichever Acolyte survived, they had a hard journey ahead of them.

The road to power was never easy, but to the one that succeeded, the rewards were more than worth it.

As a wise Sith once told her, power was the end of the journey, not the destination.

Power was its own reward.

And what about Fenn, Keera asked, I take it that means he is all mine then?"

Avaryss growled like an angry beast.

Silence, she hissed.

Your opinion is not wanted.

The hours continued to drag on.

Avaryss…continued to wait.

IOI

One of the two that had been chasing each other around the tomb died first, she felt the shift when the Acolyte died, ending their chance at becoming her apprentice. The one who had not been moving winked out next; she was not sure how that one died, only that their presence disappeared.

She felt the two survivors drawing closer, Avaryss reached out with the Force, trying to draw them together, to bring them to her side for the final fight.

Drellic was dosing in a bedroll near the sarcophagus, how he could sleep down here, she didn't know.

The hum of the dark side was very strong in this place. It was like the sound of gentle lava flow running past her on a dark night.

She rose from her meditation, feeling both relaxed and refreshed.

She prepared herself for what was coming next, her hand resting on the weapon on her belt, or rather one of the two weapons that were on her belt.

She smiled.

What came next would be fun.

She heard footsteps on the walkway, the one over the pit lined with spikes. A few seconds later the pure blood Hudlo emerged. He was ragged and wild eyed; he looked around the chamber, looking for enemies that weren't there.

Avaryss smiled contently.

"You are almost at the end," she informed him, "Only one more person stands in your way."

"You," Hudlo growled at her, "Did you know what this place was? Did you know what we would face here?"

"Of course," Avaryss said with a dismissive shrug, "You needed to be tested as I was tested."\

She grinned.

"As I said, you are almost there."

A second Acolyte arrived; this was the human, the balding assassin Stryke.

Avaryss was surprised.

She would have thought the Zabrak would have made it before he did.

"And then there were two, huh?" he growled, glaring at Hudlo.

The pure blood hissed like a feral animal, his hand gripping his war blade.

Stryke looked up at Avaryss. He had a cold grin on his face.

"So what happens now, master," he said, his voice dripping with venom.

Avaryss removed the lightsaber from her belt.

"One of you earns _**this**_," she said holding it up. "Only one of you can emerge as my apprentice. The time has come to see which is the strongest."

She tossed the blade between them. Both human and pure blood looked down at the weapon, then back up at her.

Avaryss grinned hungrily.

"Fight for your master's pleasure," she declared, "Show me who is worthy of standing at my side!"

They both looked down at the weapon, and then up at her.

Avaryss felt a shift in the Force.

She frowned.

She did not like what she was sensing.

"_You erred, Avy_," Keera said.

"_Good luck getting out of this one."_

She could sense the two acolytes' hostility; it was all directed at her.

Fools, she thought, do you not realize what I am?

Do you not understand what it means to be a Darth?

"You put me through hell, witch," Hudlo snarled.

"Don't," Avaryss growled, raising her hands.

"Just…don't. You don't want to…"

Hudlo snarled and leapt towards her, his war blade raised over his head, his eyes were wild with both rage and near insanity.

Avaryss did not bother using her lightsaber, she did not need it.

She reached out with her hand, and caught the pureblood in mid leap. He thrashed in her grip, spitting out curses and obscenities.

She glared at him.

"First lesson," she hissed at him, "I'm stronger than you."

She flung him away. He hit the wall of the tomb, hard.

Avaryss glared at the foolish acolyte.

"I am stronger than you, and that is why I'm your master, remember that."

Despite the ease with which she had thrown the pure blood away, she shuddered.

"What you just said to him, "Keera reminded her, "Those were Darth Feer's words."

She imagined Keera shaking her head.

"You are so like him now.

The accusation both hurt and shocked her, before she could respond Hudlo was crawling back to his feet; he looked ready to spring again, to murder Avaryss.

He was suddenly struck by blaster fire; he staggered back as the blasts sent him bouncing back against the wall. He did not fall right away. He was too enraged to die so easy.

That was when a blast caught him in the eye. The pureblood's mouth fell open and he slid down the wall, his burned body slumping where he had landed.

Avaryss turned to his killer. Stryke held a blaster in each hand, the barrels were smoking; he grinned hungrily.

He looked up at Avaryss.

"Guess we know who is going to be your new apprentice, don't we my lord?"

Avaryss sniffed, she would have preferred a fight between the two, to see their skills on full display.

She shook her head.

Oh well, we do not always get the things we want.

"I do hope that your saber technique is as good as your skill with a blaster," she informed him, "There will be times that I require something more…subtle than a blast in the face."

The assassin laughed.

"I'll prove myself to you soon enough, master," he said, "But first I need to claim my…my…"

Stryke looked around, searching on the ground at his feet.

Avaryss glanced down as well.

The lightsaber was gone.

"Where is it," Stryke said, "What happened to the…UGGGGH?!"

Stryke's eyes widened in shock as the crimson blade punched through him. He arched his back as the lightsaber burned its way through him and out the other side.

Avaryss' eyes widened, she…she…she had not even sensed that someone else was in the room!

She was impressed.

Standing behind Stryke was the Muun, the former lawyer called Dym, he grinned triumphantly as he leaned in close, whispering in the assassin's ear. Avaryss had needed to use the Force to hear what passed between them.

"I found your lightsaber, human," he spat, "Or rather…_**my**_ lightsaber."

Stryke gurgled, he tried to pull one if his blasters, but to no avail.

Dym used the Force to pull it for him; it leapt into the Muun's hands.

He gave Avaryss an arched look, awaiting her decision.

She smiled, understood immediately what the Muun was asking.

She nodded curtly.

Dym did his duty.

He shot Stryke with his own blaster at close range. The body was flung across chamber skidding to a stop and stinking of burned flesh and hair.

The Muun regarded the blaster with a sense of distaste.

He flung it to the ground.

"You are right, my lord," he said with a shrug.

"Most uncivilized."

The sound of combat had roused Lieutenant Drellic; he came to her side holding a blaster of his own.

"Is everything all right, my lord?" he inquired. He raised his hand wiping at the sleep in his eyes.

Avaryss chuckled.

"It is fine lieutenant," she said, "The winner of this little contest of mine has just graced us with his presence."

The Muun grinned broadly.

He clearly liked being called a winner, as he should.

To the winner go the spoils.

Though she wasn't sure how he pulled it off, she had not sensed his approach in the Force; in fact she had felt nothing.

It seemed that her new apprentice had some secrets of his own.

She was eager to discover them for herself.

"I'm sorry that you did not get to see the fight you desired, master," he said, "But I saw no reason to fight when I clearly had the advantage over this fool."

Avaryss nodded.

Strength was not everything for a Sith, cunning, deception, and ruthlessness were important too.

Dym had shown that he possessed all three. It would have been nice to see the survivors fight it out for her pleasure, but she was fine with this outcome.

She was nothing if not flexible.

She was most pleased.

"Are you ready to take your place at my side," she asked him, "Are you ready to study the mysteries of the dark side?"

"Teach me master," he said excitedly, "Teach me, I want to learn."

Avaryss grinned triumphantly.

"Then kneel at my feet," she ordered, "Speak the words, and pledge yourself to me and my teachings. Become an extension of my will."

The Muun nodded and walked up to her, he knelt at her feet, bowing his head respectfully.

"I am yours, my lord," he vowed.

"What is thy bidding, my master?"

Avaryss almost laughed.

And now I come full circle, she thought.

Now…it begins.


	10. Assets

**Chapter 10: Assets**

Avaryss returned from Korriban to find her job on Oridanna had become much more complicated.

She had barely stepped off the ramp from her shuttle when she was met by Colonel Glasc. The loyalty officer had brought her new orders from Darth Feer, orders reflecting his recent actions in the Itae system.

She was not pleased to hear what had happened while she had been seeking a new apprentice.

_The fool,_ she thought shaking her head…

…_The complete and utter __**fool!**_

Darth Feer had already responded to the Oridanna rebels' demands. He had charged her with dealing with this crisis, and then, without even consulting her, made his own moves to try and deal with it. He had of course rejected everything the rebels had asked for, but that was not all. When word reached the people, several large protests broke out in Worro and Danna City. Feer responded by sending in troops.

Fortunately, there had been little bloodshed; most Oridanna citizens still saw themselves as loyal imperials. The soldiers managed to round up the ring leaders of the protests, taking them into custody. The bloodshed had been kept to a minimum, which was good. The crowds dispersed after that.

If that had been the only thing that had happened, they would have been lucky, sadly, Feer was not done.

He had publicly executed the people behind the protests. He accused them of having a hand in the recent bombings, and set out to make an example of them.

The move left the people of the planet in shock. For the moment things were quiet.

Avaryss doubted they would remain that way for long.

Feer's display of power would not have the affect he hoped, she knew her people well enough to know that.

_All Feer did was guarantee that the ranks of the rebellion would swell. Her people were __**not **__cowards; many had served the Empire loyalty in both the army and navy._

Once the shock wore off, there would be anger. How much anger depended on who exactly it was that had been killed. They would see this as a betrayal by their dark lord. Once upon a time, Moff Galek would have diffused the situation by promising to take the matter up with the Emperor, but with his death that was no longer possible.

Speaking with the Emperor would not salve this wound.

The people of Oridanna would be angry, and in their anger many would flock to the rebellion. The threat it posed would escalate. The people would demand a response, and…

She shook her head.

…When the people _**did**_ respond, it would not be pretty, no; it would not be pretty at all.

"_What did you expect?"_ Keera asked, "_Being on the Council has gone to the old man's head."_

_He has made a mess, and now he will expect __**you**__ to clean it up._

_Lucky you._

She should not have been surprised, when the council had trusted Darth Feer with the pacification of the former holdings of the late Darth Terrog, her master had shown no mercy. There had been both mass arrests and mass executions. Her master had not rested until he was sure that any trace of Terrog's influence had been crushed.

He had been as thorough as he was brutal.

Now…with Oridanna, he was doing it again. Only this time, he was not punishing some rogue Sith's holdings, he was targeting one of the main arteries of the Imperial war effort, a world that had been loyal to the Empire since the very beginning. Was it any wonder that they were in revolt?

The move had been foolish in her eyes, foolish and ill timed.

_Oh master, _she thought.

_What have you gotten me into now?_

Feer, of course, was now demanding that she head for the Itae system with all possible speed. He had sent word ahead to both Moff Galek, and Darth Sadi. They would make sure that things were all in readiness for her arrival.

Glasc, ever loyal to her master, presented her with a data pad full of instructions from Darth Feer, a full list of how she should best proceed when she arrived on the planet, what steps she should take first to ensure that the people remain compliant. Avaryss took it, but already intended to ignore whatever advice it contained.

Her master would not be happy with that, but at that point, she did not really care.

She had spent most of the journey to Korriban trying to come up with a plan to start winning her people back to the Empire. She had several ideas, but with what Feer had just done, she would now need to refine her plans.

It would have been far easier if he had just let me handle this, she thought, despite being away for so many years, she still knew how the typical Oridanna citizen thought.

She was confident that she would be able to sway them away from this most foolish of courses.

She ordered Colonel Glasc to prepare a briefing on the Oridanna situation for both her and the rest of the senior staff. She wanted to know everything that had happened since last bombings, everything that Darth Feer had put in place. It would make it easier for her decide where to strike first.

In the meantime, she had other matters to attend to. Dym needed to be settled into her service. She still needed to meet up with her master's daughter, and she had to speak with Xen about Beric.

If she was to deal with the matters of rebellion on her homeworld, she needed her servants to be on the same page as her, and to have her future plans in order.

Once again, she was about to find herself in a dangerous place.

She could not afford any surprises.

She was shocked to discover that she was actually concerned about the people of Oridanna. How they would react to her presence, and if they would accept the aid that she offered.

I hated them for the longest time; she thought to herself, I blamed the people of my home for doing nothing when my family was killed. Andur Lylos had been respected, he had been a good overseer, and kept the people under his protection as safe and as happy as he could. Yet, as far as she knew, no one had lifted a finger when he was killed. The Empire had blamed the deaths of her family on brigands but she doubted that anyone had really believed that.

"_What were the people to do?"_ Keera asked her, "_Feer's enforcers were murdering overseers all over Oridanna; those enforcers were strong in the Force. What chance would the farmers have against a Force sensitive?"_

_What chance would they have against you?_

Avaryss frowned.

She…she did not like to think like that.

I'm **nothing** like the man who murdered my family.

I'm better than he was, stronger too.

Distantly she could hear Keera laugh.

_Keep telling yourself that Avy…_

…_Just keep telling yourself that._

Avaryss could not completely kill the snarl that came to her lips.

They were weak. The weak deserve their fate. It is their destiny to be ruled by the strong.

Why should I care for a pack of weak willed farmers?

_Because they're __**your **__people_, Keera reminded her, _they are your father's people, and citizens of the Empire. As citizens they are your subjects, should you not do everything in your power to ensure they are as productive and useful to you as you can?_

I'm not their servant, Avaryss thought.

_True, but you have never been one to abuse your servants. As a lord, they serve you, are you really interested in seeing them suffer?"_

She…she had no real answer for that.

In fact, this whole argument was leaving her confused.

Stopping the rebellion was paramount for the war effort, but…at the same time.

Once she had dreamed of returning to Oridanna and making it a paradise for its citizens. She wanted to make the world into a symbol of her power. She wanted every citizen to be able to look up to her and fall to their knees in humble gratitude.

That will never happen if Feer had his way.

_You don't have to do this alone, _Keera reminded her, _if you let me out, I could help you. Together we can win the hearts and minds of the people, make Oridanna exactly as we want it._

Avaryss frowned.

The day she let go and let Keera have her way was the day she was truly lost. If she gave into that part of herself, she feared that she would never find her way back. Keera was no doe-eyed innocent. The choices she had made on Fury 9 had proved that.

No Avaryss thought, I will not be letting you out, not ever.

Keera's voice in her head fell silent. She tried to feel good about that, but…

She has not given up, Avaryss realized.

She is just waiting.

The dark lord sighed.

She is waiting.

IOI

Settling Dym into his quarters proved the easiest challenge she had to deal with that day. The Muun was eager to begin not only his training, but to prove himself to her on the mission that they had before them.

"Whatever it is you need, master, I can do," he promised, "Combat, manipulation, finance…"

He gave her a wide toothy grin.

"You will find me a most versatile apprentice."

The two had spoken on the shuttle ride up to her destroyer. His journey to the Sith had not been the typical one, but the result was the same.

Dym wanted power, and saw the Sith Order as the quickest way to get it.

In that, he was predictable.

Dym had been born into a wealthy family. Like most Muun children, the course of his life had been decided early on. His family has served Republic interests for decades as financiers and lawyers for the wealthy and privileged of the Republic.

Dym had come to despise what they wanted of him.

He had shown an affinity for the Force at an early age. His family recognized it, and chose to ignore it. During the time of expansion, before the Sith return, the Muuns had had a lot of contact with the Jedi as they labored to expand the galactic economy to the Republic's new colonies. They had known what having a child with Force sensitivity meant, and still…had chosen to hide it.

Muun children were often viewed as assets by their family; they had been born to fulfill a specific purpose. Giving a child to the Jedi was seen as foolish and wasteful. The Jedi stressed the need to break familial bonds; that would not serve to the profit oriented Muuns.

Dym's parents had done what they could to hide his abilities from the Jedi; they did not wish to see their son stolen, not when he was far more useful to the family as a whole.

They had tried to convince him to forget what he could do with the Force, to ignore his instincts and focus on settling into the mold that they had prepared for him. Dym, however, could not ignore what he was sensing, what he was feeling.

He had tried to make the best use of his abilities, and learned quickly how powerful he truly was.

He discovered a talent for mental manipulation early on. At first he had only used it on the family's servants, taking advantage of their weak minds to practice and expand his power. As he had grown older he had turned those abilities on his family's business clients and partners. He used his gifts to gain greater wealth and prestige for his family. If his parents suspected what he was doing they did not show it. They only saw his gains and thought about what he could acquire for them in the future.

It was all that mattered to them, what he could acquire for the family.

His resentment for them continued to grow.

The cold war between the Republic and Sith offered many opportunities for an ambitious Muun. He had quickly learned just how much profit was just waiting to be made by maintaining the Treaty of Coruscant. By this point he had already finished his schooling and was fully prepared to practice law on his home world, but he felt no excitement in achieving that goal. His mind abilities made his victories too easy, and he grew even more resentful and bored.

What was the point of dominating someone so weak they did not realize they were being dominated? They were hollow victories and he grew increasingly more bored with them.

He desired more of a challenge, and more importantly, he wanted power. He wanted far more than he could hope to find on his homeworld.

Dym knew what he had to do.

Finally, he had chosen to leave his parents and his homeworld behind. The more he found out about the Sith the more fascinated he was by them. They did not have to hide their powers. They respected strength, and valued someone with a strong connection to the Force.

He had used his mind powers to gain passage into the Empire, and from there recreated himself into a financier and began preying on the wealthy merchants that served the Empire. It had taken time, but finally he gained the attention of the Sith Order. He was taken into custody, but given the growing hostility between the Republic and Empire, they had seen how his abilities could be used to serve their ends.

He had been offered a choice, execution for theft or the chance to join the Sith Order.

He had wisely chosen the order over death.

He had been brought to Korriban as a first level acolyte, he had then been sent to Lord's Reach for his off world trials before returning to Korriban.

Avaryss had frowned when she heard that last part.

She knew that the Sith were desperate for people, still…

She wondered if the Sith were harming their order by sending so many unprepared students to Korriban. Her time on Fury 9 had been a necessary evil in her training; by the time she had left that blasted rock her loyalty to the order was assured, it had helped define her place among the Sith.

By bypassing the hopeful stage of their training, she feared that the new generation of Sith would not be as powerful as those that came before. They would not have been tested or tempered, and in their rushed success they would be weaker than their peers. Too many weaker Sith might prove to be a problem, they would likely ally against their stronger leaders and overthrow them with sheer numbers, and whoever emerged from those weaker Sith as leader would weaken the order as a whole.

That realization concerned her.

She thought that it should be a concern for the Empire as a whole.

Dym was not weak, that was clear, but he did not have the proper respect for her place. When she looked at him, she did not feel the same fear and awe she had felt as an apprentice on her first day.

The Munn did not fear her; through the Force she could feel it. He saw her as a font of knowledge and an opportunity to expand his control, but that was it.

You should have broken in in the tomb, the darkness whispered, you should were too light on the creature. Now you will need to redefine your relationship with him.

His skills would come in handy on Oridanna, but she would need to be cautious. If things started to go badly, if he came to see her as weak…?

She shuddered.

_Beware your apprentice._

She would need to watch the Muun closely…

…Very close indeed.

IOI

With Dym settling in, and her planning the first phase of his training, her attention now turned to her other apprentice on board, and what she was going to do with her.

She found her apprentice in her quarters. She was kneeling on the floor, lost in meditation.

Avaryss regarded Xen Loor thoughtfully.

Xen was unique among her peers because she had experience with both sides of the Force. Her Jedi training had shown her the limits of what the light had to offer, and since coming over to the dark side, she had done everything in her power to surpass those limits.

She indulged freely with her emotions. Anger, jealousy, fury, lust, they were just a few of the emotions that the former Jedi Padawan chose to indulge on her journey down the dark path.

Avaryss frowned.

Lust seemed to be her favorite. Xen knew that she was beautiful by human standards, and enjoyed toying with the emotions of others. The way she talked, the way she dressed, the way she moved, all suggested the possibility of sex, and she reveled in the power that it gave her.

Even now, she sought to inspire the desire of others. Her robes clung to her curvy form like a second skin, she wore no armor, and her top was cut low in front and left most of her midriff exposed. A man would not need much imagination to guess what Xen looked like naked. This was the point.

She reveled in turning men into drooling idiots, and there was always more waiting to amuse her and that was the problem.

She was not the type of girl to be tied down with anyone for long, at least that is what Avaryss had observed, which is why the Dark Lord was so disturbed with her relationship with Beric.

She had no desire to see her brother suffer because the girl grew bored with his company.

Xen sensed her approach, she did not rise from her meditation, but she did tilt her head slightly.

"Are you here to punish me…master?" she inquired.

Avaryss sneered at her comment.

She even made the sound of being punished suggestive. Xen was truly on the way to mastering her craft.

"Have you done something that you deserve to be punished for, apprentice?"

Xen laughed lightly and rose, her golden eyes now focused on her master.

"According to the Jedi code, I've done _**many**_ things that I should be punished for."

Xen grinned triumphantly.

"It is good thing that I'm no longer a Jedi."

Any amusement quickly faded from the girl's eyes, she pinned her master with an accusing gaze.

"Why do you seek to replace me, master? Have I not always served you well?"

"Taking on a new apprentice was not my choice." Avaryss informed the girl, "It was at Councilor Feer's suggestion, and it was not a bad one. A Korriban trained apprentice is a symbol of both refinement and prestige."

Xen's Sith eyes narrowed.

"You did not answer my question."

"Nor should I," Avaryss said coldly, "Do not forget your place, Xen. You have sworn to serve me, and I shall do as I see fit."

"I mean no disrespect, my lord," she said bowing submissively, "I merely seek to understand if I have disappointed you in some way."

Xen frowned.

"You are not pleased with me and Beric, are you? You believe what we are doing is a mistake."

Avaryss gave her a stern look.

_So no beating around the bush_, she thought.

_Good._

_We might as well get to the heart of the matter right away._

"Why Beric, apprentice," she asked, "You could have any man in the Empire. What makes him so special?"

Xen gave her a sly smile.

"He has…_talents_ that I find enjoyable. I could describe them for you if you like."

"No," Avaryss said flatly.

"That will not be necessary".

She did not need to hear about her brother's…technique.

Ugh.

There were some things that she preferred not to know.

"Of course…it isn't all physical," Xen said wistfully, "Do you remember what happened after I led you to my former comrades, after we destroyed the Jedi filth to the last man? Do you remember what happened after, what I did when the deed was done?"

Avaryss nodded.

She remembered quite well. That night had been her first true victory, her first real step towards lordship.

She would remember it for the rest of her life.

"You stripped off your Jedi robes, declaring that you were done with their hypocrisy. You stood before the fire and the men under our command and declared your loyalty to the Sith.

"I did indeed," Xen said, "I stood with almost nothing on, reborn, and declared my desire to serve you, and do you remember what happened next?"

"Beric offered you his poncho as I recall, you accepted it with a smile and a nod."

"That is one way of looking at it, I suppose," Xen said, "But it was more than that, far more than that to me."

She smiled shyly.

"At that moment, my emotions were raw. I…I had just helped murder everyone I once had called friend. The dark side was singing in my blood. Everything was color and screams. I…I felt like I was drowning. Fury, guilt, lust, I was feeling it all in that moment. I could sense everything. I could feel the emotions of the troopers who accompanied us, they both feared and desired me in that moment, their emotions were almost overwhelming, and then…then…"

Xen's smile turned into a full blown grin.

"...Then…came Beric…your brother."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"You know?"

Her apprentice nodded, she blushed slightly.

"You would be surprised what a man will tell you during pillow talk."

Avaryss restrained herself from hissing in disgust.

Damn you Beric!

He was not helping his case for her sparing Xen and letting him deal with the matter, by sharing such a secret with Xen, he had put his sister in jeopardy. What if the girl decided to use it against her?

Did her brother realize what he had done?

"When Ric wrapped his poncho around me, I felt…something, the screams in the Force became a gentle hum, the raging colors dimmed, everything was a soft violet color, like twilight in the summer, or that one moment before the dawn."

Her apprentice sighed.

Your brother looked upon me and it was not simply a matter of lust. He saw me as someone he wished to get to know. I was not simply a distraction, a night's entertainment, not to him. He kept his eyes low, not wishing to stare lustfully at me. He even blushed a bit. I…was not sure what to make of it, what I was feeling…it made no sense."

Her confession surprised Avaryss.

"He is more to you than the men you have been with since?"

Xen snorted at that.

"Those men were diversions, nothing more, pretty, but useless, grunts. Ric is something far more."

Something more, Avaryss thought.

Interesting.

"Do you love him?" she asked her apprentice.

Xen frowned.

"I'm…_fond_ of him," she confessed, "As far as love goes, I'm not sure it even exists. The masters back at the temple used to preach constantly of how love was essential to a Jedi's life, and yet, they did everything in their power to deny us. Love was an abstract concept to them."

Xen shook her head.

As I said, I'm not sure it even exists."

Avaryss almost shook her head.

Poor Xen, she thought.

The Jedi had done their best to emotionally cripple the poor girl. Sy Dar Bynn, her former master, had tried to break her of all emotion.

The more fool he was.

Avaryss was surprised that Keera did not offer her opinion on the matter. Fortunately, that voice had finally fallen blissfully silent.

She hoped that it would remain that way.

She still wanted to punish Xen for going after Beric, but at the same time, she was curious where this might go.

Avaryss still feared the thought that Xen might try to use Beric against her, but at the same time, she saw another opportunity.

Xen's connection to Beric might work to her advantage.

"_Let Xen and Beric have their fun,"_ the darkness advised, _"The closer she grows to him, the easier it will be to keep them both under your thumb. A threat to one may motivate the other to stay loyal; it would be an excellent lever to pull."_

Love could be a very powerful emotion, Xen might not believe in it, but Avaryss did. Love had been a joy and a bane to her in the last five years. It had been her love for Fehl that had kept her going when she lost her powers back on Korriban. It was her love for Fenn that forced her to seek excellence in her role as a Darth of the Sith Empire.

She had given Beric her word, and now, she had another reason to keep it.

She would still have to keep a close eye on Xen, make sure that she was not preparing to move on to the next poor fool that she desired. If then grew bored with Beric, Avaryss would need to act quickly, Xen did not allow her former toys to live for long, not after they had satisfied her fickle desires.

If the girl dared try to harm her brother, she would die screaming.

Avaryss vowed that.

In the meantime…

The two could be useful.

She intended to make the most of their…relationship.

Whatever it turned into it might serve her well.

'So," Xen asked her, "Are you going to punish me, my master?"

Avaryss shook her head.

"Beric requested that he be allowed to handle this matter," she informed her apprentice.

"I shall allow it, for now."

Yet, even as she said the words, she glared at the former Jedi; the cold look in her eyes made sure that the girl understood what might happen if she chose to satisfy her thirst for violence by hurting her brother."

"Do not mistake this decision for weakness, apprentice. As you now know, Beric is of my bloodline, that blood is important to the future of House Avaryss. I would be most disappointed if he was harmed, and would be obligated to make sure that the Sith that harmed him suffer greatly for that mistake."

She let the dark side bloom outward, her power, the rage she held in check washed over the former Jedi.

Xen visibly cringed.

Good, Avaryss thought.

Let her imagine exactly what I could do to her if she goes against me in this.

Beric is mine, he is part of the future of my house.

She will suffer greatly should she try to harm him.

"I will not harm, Ric," Xen promised, "He is…not like the others."

"See that you don't," Avaryss said turning away. "For _**your**_ sake."

She felt a brief flash of anger from her apprentice; apparently Xen did not like being threatened.

Avaryss raised her hand, she felt the Force reach out the sweet pressure of its power in her ears.

She heard Xen gasp as she started to strangle, the Force choke that her master held her in squeezing that pretty throat of hers shut.

She felt the girl struggle; try to call on the Force to free herself. She felt her start to panic when she realized that she could not.

Avaryss had grown too strong for that. Xen might have been good with a lightsaber, but she could not match her young master yet in the more subtle Force abilities.

Avaryss savored that moment, like a felinx playing with a rodent.

To Xen's credit, she did not beg, or cry out, she simply struggled, it was hopeless, but that was fine.

Avaryss released her. She gasped and looked on her master with surprise, shocked at how easily Avaryss had seized her, how easily she _**could **_have killed her.

_Your master is your master because she is stronger than you, girl_, Avaryss thought.

_Remember that._

She turned and smiled at her apprentice.

"Consider this a lesson," she purred, "You are not ready to challenge my power, yet."

Xen still trying to regain her breath, dropped to one knee.

"Yes, my…lord," she wheezed, "I…understand."

"Good," Avaryss said leaving her quarters, letting the door hiss shut behind her.

Lesson learned.

IOI

Her apprentices dealt with, Avaryss now turned her attention to the one last part of business she wanted to deal with before they arrived on Oridanna, with Beric and Bleez at her side. She made her way down to the ship's detention block, to the cell that held the prisoner that very few on this ship knew about.

Beric had just learned who that prisoner was a few moments ago, he did not look happy.

"When you said you had an edge over Lord Feer, I assumed that you had found some new ability or Force technique," he said morosely.

"I didn't think you would actually think it wise to kidnap your master's daughter."

Avaryss shrugged.

"Technically there has been no kidnapping," she informed him, "Had I not acquired Cynn Feer, she would have likely died during the Republic attack, the neighborhood that she called home was completely destroyed."

She gave her brother a sly smile.

"It will take weeks for the clean-up crew to sort through the rubble, and even then finding all the bodies will be difficult. As far as anyone knows, this girl is dead. She should be thanking us for saving her."

Her brother's eyes narrowed.

He remained unconvinced.

"No one knows she is here," Bleez assured him, "My troops carried out their orders to the letter. Anyone who knew about us taking Cynn Feer is dead now."

The Warmaster radiated a sense of pride.

"My troops come through again."

Beric shook his head and looked at his little sister.

"And what happens when your master learns about this? What do you think he is going to do when he realizes what you've done?"

It was a good question, Avaryss thought, she saw several possible outcomes.

One: her master went completely thermal and demanded his daughter's release. She did not think that likely though because then he would have to explain how and why she had been such a vulnerable spot to begin with. The existence of his mundane child would likely hurt his position on the dark council.

Two: He could openly declare Avaryss a rival, and seek to remove her from her place of power. Once again the council would likely step in. Avaryss' mission to bring the rebels on Oridanna to heel would be considered more important that her master's vendetta. The council would likely demand Avaryss' assurance that the girl would not be harmed, but that would be fine.

The girl would remain a hostage, and despite Feer's distancing himself from the girl, Avaryss still believed that he loved her.

He would not risk her safety. It would keep matters stable between them for the time being.

Three: He could try something more subtle. He could try to assassinate her using the rebellion as a scapegoat. This was a more likely scenario than the other two. Feer had many active agents working in the Itae system; it would not be difficult for one of them to take a shot at her.

The third possibility seemed more likely than the others, but it had its risks as well. If Avaryss left Bleez with strict orders to kill the girl if anything happened to her, then it was possible that her master might…reconsider having her removed.

Regardless, it was safe to say that she and Darth Feer were now definitely rivals. He had done his best to try and discredit her over the last few months, now, when news of her holding his daughter got out, things would likely turn far more vicious between them.

Before that happened, she needed to have the girl on board with what happened next. Cynn Feer was a valuable asset in the game to come, she was sure of it.

Now, she simply had to see where the girl's loyalties lay.

Te three came to the cell and stopped. Bleez triggered the door and waited outside as Avaryss and Beric entered. The prisoner was sitting on the cell's bed. She looked up at them with an angry glare.

Avaryss smiled.

If she had had any doubt who the girl was; it faded. Though her features were similar to Lady Synestra, there was no doubt that this young woman was her master's daughter. Both her lips and nose were evidence of her blood line. She had her master's blonde hair, and her mother's green eyes.

For the briefest of moments she could see the Feer arrogance shining in the girl, but then, as quickly as it appeared it faded.

She took one look at Avaryss and realized she was in the presence of a Sith.

Cynn recognized a dark lord when she saw one, and knew the danger of provoking one.

So she is not stupid, Avaryss thought.

That is good.

The girl immediately dropped to her knees, she bowed her head in submission.

"Why am I here, my lord," she asked meekly," I…I don't understand."

Avaryss smirked.

"You are here, Cynn Feer because of your lord father."

The dark lord chuckled.

"We have much to speak about.

"The girl raised her head slightly and blinked, she tried to hide any recognition of what Avaryss had said, but she was not really good at it.

Despite her upbringing, she was clearly not comfortable with lying.

It was another reason why her family would have removed her.

"You must be misinformed, my lord," she said innocently, "My last name is Fenara, I have no relations with in the Sith, I'm a humble filing clerk in the Imperial supply office."

The girl dared meet her gaze.

"I'm an orphan, I have no family."

Avaryss reached out with the Force, part of her wondered if her master had used the Force to alter her mind, to get her to believe in that story.

Avaryss was surprised when the girl pushed her out of her mind with sheer will; Avaryss imagined a blast door slamming shut, cutting her off from the girl's mind.

It came down so loud and so hard that she found herself taking a step back from the young woman, she hiccupped at the sheer power of the girl's will.

Avaryss grinned.

So she does know, who she is, Avaryss realized, she has just been forced to live this lie for so long she is not willing to give it up, yet.

_That was okay_, the dark lord thought.

_We can work through this._

"Do you recognize me?" she asked her prisoner.

Again the girl bowed her head; she again tried to appear the innocent and submissive imperial citizen.

"No my lord," she admitted.

That did surprise Avaryss.

Her holo had been widely distributed over the last year. The Empire had paraded her around like a hero for a year after the battle with Darth Terrog.

She thought that most people would recognize her, then again, she had started wearing her helmet shortly after all the hero worship stuff had begun. It was rare that she was without it in public.

It was possible that the girl may not recognize her for that reason.

"I am Darth Avaryss," she informed her prisoner, "I'm the first apprentice to the Lord Councilor Darth Feer."

She grinned down at the girl.

"Do you still not know me?"

Hearing her name had the desired result.

Cynn Feer looked up at her, and this time, there was no submission in her eyes.

Avaryss felt anger…anger and jealousy.

The girl's fingers curled into fists.

"So you're the new me," she said coldly, "The one that my father replaced me with?"

Avaryss shrugged.

Your lord father needed an apprentice," she said, "It had to be someone, why not me?"

If the girl agreed or not, she did not say, she simply glared hatefully at the young woman who had taken her place. The young woman she should have been, if the Force and destiny had been kinder.

"What is the meaning of this," the girl snarled, "Why have you taken me? Did my father put you up to this? Does he hate me that much?"

Whoa, Avaryss thought.

She expected hostility on the girl's part, even anger, but this…

This was several levels above what she expected.

Hate.

Pure white hot hate.

The girl despised her father.

How interesting.

Now, she knew what to expect from the girl.

Now, she had step back and decide what to do next.

Avaryss looked around the cell; she wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"This is not the proper place for a discussion," Avaryss informed her, "And I'm afraid that the business of the Empire calls. We will need to continue this discussion later.

The girl did not respond,

She was too angry too respond.

Avaryss turned to Beric.

"See this young woman into proper quarters, and see that she has some clean clothes as well."

Cynn Feer's garments were dirty and tattered, the result of her quick removal during the battle on Dromund Kaas.

The Dark Lord grinned.

"I don't suppose you would reject my hospitality? I can offer food and a chance to clean yourself up, in exchange for a bit of your time and patience?"

Cynn Feer sniffed, in that moment she looked more like her mother than Bael ever did.

"So that how it is then," she said, "You take the measure of me, and now retreat?"

The girl shook her head.

"You think like my dad, I can see you two are a lot alike."

That comment sent a surge of anger through Avaryss; she almost lashed out at the girl.

Almost.

She took a deep breath and counted to ten.

She managed to regain her composure.

"We will speak again once you are settled in," Avaryss promised, "Captain Lylos…see that this matter is done."

"Yes, my lord," her brother said, bowing his head slightly.

Avaryss left her then, with her war master in tow. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

You think like him.

You two are a lot alike.

The words still burned in her breast.

Had that been an attempt to insult her?

It was possible, the girl had been raised by the Feers; she would have known how to push someone's buttons. It was a risky move, but what did the girl have to lose?

Avaryss snarled under her breath.

Whether Cynn Feer liked it or not, she would serve Avaryss' needs, just as Dym and Xen would.

They were her tools now, assets to be used up and discarded.

She would likely need those assets soon.

They would reach Oridanna in approximately eight hours.

The real mission was about to begin.


	11. Homecoming

**Chapter 11: Homecoming**

Avaryss was startled awake when the shuttle finally lifted off from her destroyer. Despite her task being fairly straight forward, the Sith Lord had found little rest as _The Emperor's Wisdom_ made the journey from Korriban to Oridanna.

After so many years of serving the darkness, her dreams still haunted her, tormented her by what might have been or what she had brought down upon herself.

Her dreams were the one part of her life that she remained unable to control.

They made it difficult to find rest sometimes.

She had been dozing in her seat when they finally had gotten clearance to leave. Three shuttles were being dispatched from the Emperor's Wisdom, the first carrying Avaryss and her people, the other two carrying her personal guard. All three ships were to be followed down by a squadron of supremacy class Starfighters, providing that extra layer of protection should they require it.

It had been enough to make her feel safe, safe enough that her exhaustion had finally caught up with her.

The hours before had not been pleasant for Avaryss.

They had not been pleasant at all.

Sleep had not come, and when it had it brought the strains of the old lullaby that had been haunting her these many months, that and the words of her mother, the plea to come home and that she was needed.

Why she was still hearing it, Avaryss could not say. After all she was finally going back to Oridanna, and as far as helping her people, well…that was what she was here for, provided they accept what she offered.

If they did not…well…she would do what was best for the Empire, as she always had.

The needs of a single world did not mean much in the face of preserving an Empire.

It was to the Empire that she owed her loyalty.

Once again she had been force to rely on a few hours of meditation to keep her mind sharp. By the time that the ship finally emerged from hyperspace, she was as ready and as well rested as she could have hoped to be.

After Colonel Glasc's briefing on what they might expect, she and her command staff made their way to the shuttle.

After fleeing five years ago in a packing crate, Avaryss now returned with a Sith house and a company of one hundred personal guards at her back.

In short, she was ready to put the affairs of Oridanna back in order.

She was ready to fulfill her mission.

IOI

Word had already been sent to the government tower in Danna City. They were to be ready and waiting when Avaryss and her entourage arrived. The Sith Lord now clad in a black imperial military uniform without insignia had made her way to the shuttle, her black cape with crimson lining flaring behind her. In her left hand she carried her helmet and mask, it was unlikely that anyone would recognize her after all this time, but she preferred not to take chances.

Andur Lylos had been fairly well known; there was a chance that someone in the government might recognize his daughter on sight.

She preferred not to cause any unnecessary distractions.

She settled into her shuttle seat next to Commander Holli, the changeling officer was one of the few people that Avaryss trusted implicitly.

She wanted her at her side right now.

Beric sat next to Xen, the two lovers whispering back and forth, her brother's words bringing smiles and the occasional giggle to the Sith Apprentice.

Avaryss tried to ignore them.

There was nothing worse than two people so attracted to each other that they made everyone else uncomfortable.

Colonel Glasc took a seat away from the others, closest to the cockpit. The loyalty officer was not one to make friends; he preferred his connections on the dark council to actual comradery.

Dym found himself seated beside Warmaster Bleez, the trooper sat silently, likely conversing with the troops in the other shuttle, the members of Avaryss' personal guard.

The Munn smiled at the officer. Clad in the robes of the Sith, with a helmet to hide his alien features the Munn was still testing his limits, what power he truly wielded as Avaryss' apprentice.

Now he had decided to test Warmaster Bleez.

Avaryss smiled slightly.

He may not be glad that he did.

"What do you look like under there," he asked the trooper, referring to the battle helmet the Warmaster wore, "I don't think I've ever seen you take it off."

"I prefer **not** to take it off," Bleez informed him, "It reminds me of who I truly am."

"I see," her new apprentice said, "But what do you look like under there, what does your true face look like?"

Bleez turned to him.

"This _**is**_ my true face," the trooper said pointing at the helmet's face plate.

"I've never needed another."

"And why is that? What are you hiding beneath that bucket?"

Bleez looked at Avaryss, who shook her head no.

Dym had a right to ask questions. She would not have Bleez acting out of turn, but at the same time, the Warmaster did have a right to privacy.

Avaryss respected that.

Dym needed to learn to as well.

"I'm hiding nothing," Bleez informed him, "As to the face I was born with, I see no reason to show it. Perhaps I was horribly scarred during the war. Perhaps I'm of a species that the Empire has little respect for. Perhaps I'm a creature more beautiful than Xen, and wish not to show it."

Having heard her name, Avaryss other apprentice looked up and smiled.

"You think me beautiful, Bleez? I'm touched."

The Warmaster did not respond to the comment, Bleez's attention was fully on the Muun.

The trooper was starting to get annoyed.

"Whatever I was before has little bearing on my life now. I…am an _Imperial soldier_. I am the Warmaster of House Avaryss and the fist of my lord's vengeance."

Bleez tapped the face plate of the helmet.

"As I said, _**this**_ is my true face. It is the only one that the galaxy needs to contend with; it is the only one that matters."

It should have ended right then, but Dym was not satisfied.

He grinned and focused all of his attention on the trooper.

"You _**will**_ remove your helmet," he said waving his hand before Bleez.

"I wish to see your face."

The shuttle's passenger compartment fell silent; all eyes were now on the test of wills that was playing out before them.

Colonel Glasc looked particularly interested now; he, like everyone else on board, had never seen Bleez' face. No doubt he wondered about the person beneath the helmet, most did.

Avaryss had never cared, as long as the trooper did what was expected. She knew that Bleez had been born on a Republic world, but little else.

Was the Warmaster human or alien, Avaryss did not know. She assumed human because Bleez had been accepted into the Imperial army.

Beyond that…the Sith Lord knew nothing

She did not even know if Bleez was male or female, the Warmaster had never said.

Bleez glared at the Muun, despite not being able to see the Warmaster's eyes, it was clear that the trooper was both angry and insulted by the Sith apprentice's presumption.

"Despite the reputation of Sith troopers," The Warmaster began, "Not all of us are weak-willed. You may consider this failed attempt to manipulate me as your first strike, Munn. I only offer three to those who serve beside me and my master."

"Oh really," he said grinning, "What happens if I reach the third strike?"

"The cleaning crews get to see what color your blood is, and how hard it is to clean up after your body has been removed."

Dym looked surprised, but then…that look turned to one of pure anger.

Bleez did not even flinch.

Avaryss chuckled.

It took courage to threaten a Sith, even one who was only an apprentice.

Still…it was expected, Bleez was trained in how to kill a Force user. The trooper had been part of an elite squad when Avaryss had first met the Warmaster. The squad had specialized in neutralizing Jedi and other Force using targets.

No, Bleez had knowledge to back up such a threat.

Avaryss wondered if her new apprentice had the intelligence not to push this any further.

A fight between the two would be entertaining, but also costly. Avaryss would likely need them both in the coming days.

She would prefer if neither died at this moment in time.

Dym glared at the trooper, angry at the Warmaster's resistance, but then…that anger faded. The Muun's wide grin returned.

"I can see why my master chose you," he said nodding respectfully. "I will accept your desire for privacy."

Again Bleez looked at Avaryss, as if to ask if the Muun was being honest or if his comment was sarcastic.

Again the Dark Lord nodded, the Muun's response had been a genuine one.

Bleez could relax, for the moment.

Not that the trooper would forget. The Muun was still a Sith after all, and not used to being denied. This argument might come up again later, but for now the matter had been settled.

At least, until it flared up again, Avaryss did not believe the matter totally resolved.

Dym would wait, he might try to take revenge for this insult, but it would not happen now.

Bleez was smart enough to let it go, for now.

"Thank you apprentice," the trooper said returning to a more relaxed position.

"Your respect is appreciated."

Conversations once again resumed. Xen talked to Beric, Bleez went back to conferring silently with the troops that would be accompanying them. Dym closed his eyes, appearing to be meditating. Holli pulled out a data pad and began reading from some technical manual.

Avaryss settled back in her seat, and found herself starting to dose off. She had not wanted to, but sleep came for her just the same.

She fought it the best she could, but it had been a losing battle.

She closed her eyes…

…and her mother's words awaited her.

IOI

The shuttle bumped as it first began to break Oridanna's atmosphere. She had drifted off several times since the launch. Once she awoke to find Holli watching her.

She coughed and shook her head, trying to clear the last of the sleep from it.

"What is it Lujayne," she asked.

The Commander blushed and looked away.

"You were talking in your sleep, my lord. For a moment I thought you were speaking to me."

Avaryss frowned.

"I was talking in my sleep?"

"Yes, my lord."

What was I saying?"

Holli shrugged, the changeling looked uncomfortable.

"You kept asking of someone named Ro. Is Ro an old friend, my lord?"

Avaryss cursed under her breath.

Had she been dreaming about Roan Wilkes? She did not remember that.

In truth, she had hoped to reach out and find Fenn in the Force. She hated to admit it, but…seeing Xen and Beric together, seeing Taya laughing and playing with her little girl, it had gotten to her.

She was feeling…_lonely._

She had _wanted_ to see Fenn. She had **needed** to see him.

Yet, he still remained hidden from her. Was he still trying to protect her from finding out things that she shouldn't?

Was that why she had dreamed of Ro?

Had she even dreamed of him?

The dream had faded like a shadow, she found herself unable to remember what it had been about. She remembered something of being back on the family farm, but beyond that…nothing.

If it had been about Ro Wilkes…if she had focused on him…?

If it were so…then…well…damn it.

She would have preferred to leave the past in the past.

_Do not forget what happened_, the Darkness within her said, "_Golan Wilkes betrayed your father to become Overseer. You were to be given to his son as a trophy. Do not forget that."_

She hadn't, but at the same time.

She also remembered who had given her this information.

_The man who killed our family told us that Avy_," Keera reminded her, _Can you honestly say that he did not have a reason to lie? Do you think he would not have lied if he thought your pain would make his boring work that more enjoyable?"_

Avaryss' frown deepened.

In this, Keera had a point.

She had no idea if the Wilkes had sold her family out. It was possible, yes, but the evidence of it had come from a less than reliable source.

The enforcer her master had sent **could **have lied.

Avaryss shifted in her seat, now wide awake, she began to ready herself for her meeting at the government tower.

She was eager to speak with both Moff Galek and Darth Sadi; she preferred to get started immediately on ending the rebel threat.

The Empire could afford no missteps.

She needed to return things to normal and fast.

She noticed that Glasc was not in his seat, the door to cockpit hissed open and the loyalty officer returned.

He did not look happy. His face was twisted with anger.

"What is it Glasc?" she called out.

"What's going on?"

"We have been _diverted_, my lord," he informed her, "There is something wrong with the capital building's landing pad."

Glasc sighed.

"We have been given landing clearance for a pad _outside_ of the city."

Avaryss frowned, her eyes narrowed.

_What was __**this**__ now?_

It sounded innocent enough, but knowing all the problems in the Empire lately, she did not think it unwise to be a little suspicious.

She reached out with the Force trying to sense any possible deception. Sadly, deception was the word of the day in the Empire, especially since the Emperor's death.

Too many lords with too many different agendas, the Force revealed nothing of what might be waiting for them on the ground.

She frowned.

She had a bad feeling about this.

"Shall we return to the ship, my lord," Glasc suggested, "We can return when the pad in the capital is clear."

She was tempted to do so, make no mistake, but at the same time. It was possible that that was exactly what Moff Galek expected her to do.

"We shall proceed," she informed the Colonel.

She turned to Bleez.

"Inform our escort of the change in destination. I want a protective screen from the landing field to the capital."

"It will be done, my lord," Bleez promised, and immediately began issuing orders through the Warmaster's helmet comm.

Avaryss leaned back; her danger senses were both awake and alert.

_It could be nothing_, she thought, _but if it wasn't?_

"Prepare for trouble everyone," she called out.

As one her followers began checking their weapons, getting ready for a fight that may or may not be waiting for them on the surface.

She did not want to believe it, but at the same time, could not afford to take any chances.

The turbulence increased as the shuttles continued their descent to the planet. Oridanna was currently going through its winter cycle, which meant strong harsh winds. The windstorms of Oridanna were legendary; there were many stories of powerful gales bringing down ships as they came down through the atmosphere.

At the same time, those winds were known to provide enough power to see the planet's needs filled for a full year. Its people had long ago learned to make use of the planet's harsh seasons. Oridanna could be a rough place to live, but the people had adapted to its challenges long ago.

Now, it was a beloved home to many loyal imperials.

Avaryss was determined to see it stay that way.

IOI

The landing pad where the shuttles had been redirected was several miles outside the outskirts of the capital city. It served as a secondary launch point for two squadrons of fighters and bombers, should they be needed to defend the planet against outside attack.

Avaryss had frowned when she heard about this. Oridanna was quite deep in Imperial territory, she had thought such security measures unnecessary.

As it turned out it was one of many changes that Darth Feer had made to the world of her birth...

…Changes that she was quickly learning to hate.

It was these changes that made the rebellion that she now had to face possible.

Her dislike for her master and his policies continued to grow.

Shortly after assuming control of the planet, her master had played a little game with the rich landowners in Oridanna's southern provinces. He had manipulated them into preying on their smaller, less fortunate, neighbors. Promising them extra land and favors if they could deliver to him what he had needed.

They had carried out her master's schemes, seizing more and more land. The smaller farms had had no defense, most gave up quickly and those that did not were burned out of their homes.

The wealthy landowners grew wealthier under Darth Feer, they thought him one of them, and welcomed him into their councils, shared their secrets with the man who had expanded their holdings so generously.

They had all been fools.

The farmers had been out of their depth, they were not used to the power games played by a Sith Lord. Their previous ruler Darth Daverus had been a hands-off type of ruler, preferring to let the farmers do as they pleased provided they met their quotas and delivered the crops that they were contracted for.

Once the smaller farmers had been dealt with Feer had been free to deal with his now useless pawns, he revealed what had happened to the rest of Oridanna, stoking the fires of hate and anger against the wealthy land owners. Protests broke out, and soon the masters of the southern provinces found enemies on all sides. The common people of Oridanna complained to Darth Feer…who, being a generous lord, gave them the justice that they wanted.

He brought in troops and seized most of the land in the Southern provinces. The farms that rose from the ashes of that scheme were now all nationalized; Darth Feer's lackeys now had direct control over the Imperial food supply.

For a time her master was hailed as a hero, the one who had liberated them from the corrupt landowners that had caused so much pain.

That control had made her master very powerful. He had expanded the military presence on Oridanna, and ruled his new holdings with an iron fist, and with the Southern farmers eliminated, no one was strong enough to challenge the power of her master and his enforcers.

It had been a beautifully executed coup.

The Keera side of her hated Feer even more because of it.

The man has much to answer for, Keera hissed when she heard what had happened.

That is true, Avaryss agreed.

If she was to deal with her master, destroying the rebellion would be the first logical step, she would seize control of the planet for Marr and the cabal, and by doing so finally end her master's hold over her.

Avaryss welcomed that day coming.

She had been his servant for far too long.

The time had come to end it.

IOI

Her shuttles executed the standard leap frog formation, it was a security protocol used for shuttles carrying VIPs. The three ships constantly shifted position as to give no clue on which ship was carrying the people in charge.

As the landing field finally came into view, Avaryss noticed only a very small entourage awaiting her arrival. A single Imperial representative flanked by a two squads of troops, twelve Imperial troops and twelve Oridanna Security volunteers.

The sight did not please her.

No Moff Galek, she realized, and through the Force she could not sense another Sith…

…No Darth Sadi either.

Her temper flared.

Darth Feer had named her High Inquisitor of Oridanna. It would be by her hand that this rebellion ended.

Now…those in charge did not even bother to see her arrive?

It was _**insulting!**_

She was no mere Sith Apprentice. She was Avaryss! She was the Hero of the Battle of the Inferno Nebula! She was the destroyer of Darth Terrog!

The Dark Lord frowned as she snapped her helmet and mask into place.

She was tempted to kill the representative, to send his or her head back to Moff Galek in a box! It would be both a warning and a sign of her displeasure. Plus, it would be most satisfying; she would show the Sith of Oridanna that she meant business right from the start.

The idea definitely had appeal, but it was then that her training took over, not the training from Darth Feer, but what she had learned from Darth Marr and the rest of her allies within the Cabal.

Avaryss had been a great fighter, but rule acquired more than skill with a lightsaber or the power of the Force. The councilor had done his best to prepare her for what came after Feer, when she was master of all his holdings.

Yes, killing the people down there would feel good, but it would not be a smart move in the game of politics.

No, she should stay her hand, see who it was and come up with a more…insidious response to this insult.

She sighed.

She found herself hating politics; she preferred facing her enemy head on, to stand before a foe with a lightsaber in hand.

The shuttles finally touched down, she felt the sudden bump as the landing gear settled onto the pad.

A shiver ran down her spine.

After five years, she was finally back.

She was home.

She rose from her seat and made for the loading ramp.

It was time to meet the Imperial that Moff Galek had offered up to her as a sacrificial lamb.

She hoped that he had a decent excuse as to why the Moff and Oridanna's ruling Dark Lord was not here.

The hydraulics hissed steam as the ramp lowered. Avaryss began her descent, followed closely by the members of her inner circle.

This is it, she thought to herself.

Here we go.

She stepped out under the violet sky, and breathed in the air of her homeworld.

Avaryss sighed.

She was home.

IOI

The Sith Lord glanced around the air field, the fighters and bombers stationed here in their neat lines, the security fence humming with energy. The winter wind snapped her cloak as she drank in the details of the world around her.

Despite the distance of almost a half-decade, the memories her past came flooding back. The sunlight proved too bright for her over sensitive eyes, the filters in her helmet kicked on almost instantly, darkening her field of vision.

Oridanna, she thought wistfully, shaking her head.

My home.

Her shuttle had come down on the far left, with her troopers now filing out of the two ships to her right. The Imperial sent to greet her noticed. He had been standing before the ship in the middle, awaiting her there.

The man quickly turned and led his troopers to greet her formally.

She stood patiently, awaiting his arrival. Her eyes brows rose slightly as she recognized this one, remembering him.

Tall and slender, the human had changed little in the last few years. He still wore the same tan and black imperial uniform, the black cloak of office still hung from his shoulders. He was a little greyer perhaps, but that did nothing to take away from the rather…unpleasant presence she felt through the Force.

It was a presence that she remembered, she had felt it before, back then she had not understood what that had meant, but now…she knew.

She stood up straight and addressed the man.

"Magistrate Hissa," she called out.

The man stopped and bowed his head.

"Lord Avaryss," he said in the drawl of a lifetime citizen of this world.

"Welcome to Oridanna."

IOI

Errod Hissa had served with her father during the last war. Like most men of their generation, they had been the tip of the spear when the Empire began its assault on the Galactic Republic.

The similarities between her father and this man ended there, while Andur Lylos had earned his spot through success and hard work, Hissa had been born into wealth and had enjoyed the privilege of it, even while serving in the military. The Hissa name was enough to guarantee that the main gained his officer cylinders far earlier than most. When the war ended he had returned to Danna City and quickly rose through the ranks to become High Magistrate.

Her father had never really been fond of the man, even after he had been promoted to the rank of Overseer. Their positions guaranteed that they remained in the same circles, but beyond that there had been few good feelings between them.

She had only met the man once before, it was right before Beric left for the army. The Lylos family had been invited to Danna City for the ceremony that officially named Father an overseer of the Empire.

Avaryss had been nine years old at the time. Much of that night was a blur now, but she did remember one thing quite clearly.

Hissa had been more than smitten with her mother. She got the feeling that the man had some kind of history with her, but whatever it was had ended long ago.

Avaryss still remembered how Hissa had drooled over May Lylos, how his eyes always seemed to find her, and how he had gone out of his way to be close to her.

Looking back now, she realized that much of her negative impression of the man had come through her connection to the Force. Her powers would not fully awaken for another six years, but even at that early stage, she had felt the man's desires.

They had sickened and angered her then. Why she had not told Father about it at the time, she had no idea.

Now, a decade later, it was she that held the power.

She was more than tempted to use it.

She smiled and leaned forward, she did her best to radiate her displeasure.

IOI

"My welcoming committee seems a little small, Magistrate," she said coolly.

"I expected to see Moff Galek here."

Hissa looked down slightly, she could feel his discomfort.

"I suggested as much to him before I left, my lord. Sadly, the business of state keeps our beloved governor most busy."

"Too busy to welcome me," she inquired, "I'm surprised to hear that magistrate, considering all the problems the Lord Feer has sent me to deal with."

"You are quite right, my lord," Hissa said nodding, "Moff Galek should have been here. As to the problems you will find that they are not…formidable as some may think."

"I see," Avaryss said, her voice becoming colder by the moment, "then perhaps you can explain why this…rebellion I've heard about continues?"

He swallowed hard, his sense of discomfort ratcheted up several degrees.

"If I may be so bold, my lord, I don't think that these troublemakers deserve such a title. Calling them rebels gives too much credence to their small successes. They are criminals, nothing more, nothing less. I've already drawn up a series of plans to see these…outlaws brought to justice. Sadly, Moff Galek has been tying my hands, if I was given more free reign, I would have this matter settled in a matter of weeks."

Avaryss did her best to keep from laughing.

Father had always said that Hissa was an overreaching, fool. He had tried twice now to blame all the recent problems on the Moff. No doubt he thought that she might help propel him up the next rung of the ladder of Imperial power. That she had come looking only for a scapegoat, that would have been nice, but she had other matters to attend to.

She preferred to solve this problem, not merely cast blame.

Her father had said several times that Hissa would not be satisfied until he held the rank of Moff. He wished to be the first Moff actually born on this world. He had tried to build up support for years. He had sought to oust Galek and rise in his stead, so far that had not happened.

Now, he thought _**her**_ the key to achieving that dream.

Ridiculous!

She was not surprised that Hissa had survived her master's purge of the previous regime. He was type of man who would happily turn over others if it made him look good.

Such men had their uses, but she no desire to ally with such a…person, and even if she did, she did not believe she could deliver what the man wanted.

Could she give him Galek's job, probably, but not without angering her master, Darth Feer had been quite clear.

She was to deal with the rebels, and nothing else.

She could not take any direct action, at least not yet.

In time, that might change.

She was just about to inform the magistrate of that when she felt a sudden shift in the Force.

Her danger sensed screamed at her.

She barely had time to respond, Hissa certainly didn't.

"GET DOWN!"

The missile came out of the tall grass to their right; it caught the Imperial shuttle right in one of its most vulnerable spots.

The shuttle which brought her to the surface vanished in a ball of flame.

Avaryss found herself lifted into the air, blown away by the shockwave of the exploding shuttle.

She tried to use the Force, turn the momentum to her advantage, but she did not get the chance. A piece of wreckage struck her in the head. Her helmet and the Force saved her from either having a crushed skull or being beheaded, but it could not stop her flight or how she came down.

Stars exploded before her eyes, pain lanced through her skull like a hot brand.

She struck the ground hard, her ears ringing. The sonic bafflers she wore in her ears doing little to stop the disorientation that came from being so close to such a large explosion.

She may have blacked out for a moment, because when she next opened her eyes, she found herself in the middle of a full scale war.

Everything around them was burning; she heard screams and blaster fire. Her vision was blurry, but even still she saw Bleez trying to rally her troops.

Form up you fools," the Warmaster shouted over the din.

Defend your Darth!"

She heard the sound of lightsabers igniting and the rapid fire sound of a repeating blaster.

She dared glance around.

The bile rose in her throat.

A single heavy military transport had crashed through the air field's security fence. Soldiers in makeshift armor were trading blasts with her guard, while the transport's heavy cannon focused on destroying not only the shuttles but the fighters and bombers that had been stationed here as well.

As she watched the shuttle closest to her blew up, again she was thrown back. She flipped over and came down hard, she hit so hard she bit her tongue, and warm blood filled her mouth.

Her head spun crazily, her stomach turned over, for a moment she thought she was going to retch in her helmet.

She did her best to hold it back.

Throwing up with a helmet and mask on was not something she wanted to experience.

She saw Beric covering Xen, she was grateful he was still alive. Holli had a blaster carbine and was fighting beside Magistrate Hissa and his surviving soldiers. Colonel Glasc lay on the ground not far from her, blood running from a nasty cut on his head.

He wasn't dead, she would sense it if he was, and she thought she could see the rise and fall of his chest. He still lived but.

A shadow fell over her, she looked up, her head throbbing, and it hurt so bad that she could barely think.

One of the attackers stood over her, a heavy blaster in hand.

"Die Sith," he spat, "For Freedom!"

She barely heard him, her vision seemed to double then triple.

She closed her eyes, trying to get her bearings.

In that moment she was no longer laying wounded on an airfield, she was standing outside the Lylos family homestead, her arms pinned behind her while one of Darth Feer's enforcers murdered her entire family./

When she opened her eyes, again she could almost see the enforcer, his image superimposed over that of the rebel killer. Both men glared down at her. She could feel the disgust.

They were going to murder her and there was nothing she could do…she was helpless.

Time slowed down to a crawl.

Helpless…

She was…

Some clicked inside her head. She gasped and blinked.

She looked up at the man and it was not fear that she felt.

It was anger.

It was fury!

It was hate!

The dark side burned away her pain, and in that moment, the world shifted.

Avaryss closed her eyes.

Keera Lylos opened hers.

I'm free, Keera thought, shocked that she had control of her body.

Avaryss was gone, or at the very least had fled back into her subconscious.

Time returned to normal.

Keera looked up at the rebel.

"For Freedom," the man shouted, he started to pull the trigger on his blaster.

Keera did not give him the chance.

The dark side rose up inside her.

She struck back.

She was on her feet in less than a second; she swatted the man's blaster out of the way, and seized him by the throat. Her metal fingers digging into his throat.

"No," she hissed as she cast life drain.

An orange light filled the man as she took every drop of life energy within in him; he turned to a dusty skeleton in seconds.

The pain of being flung around like a rag doll faded. Keera's body felt super charged.

The energy rejuvenated her, fueling her power, fueling her rage!

She shrieked like a maddened Tukata!

_Not again_, she thought.

_**Never again will I be helpless.**_

_**NEVER!**_

_**AGAIN!**_

She looked up and saw the heavy cannon on the transport swiveling towards her.

"No," Keera hissed.

"NOOOOOO!"

She reached out with her rage, or perhaps her rage reached out with her!

She raised her arms like she was flipping over a table.

The transport did just that, it flipped over like it had been struck by a giant's hand; the gunner and cannon were crushed together.

The remaining attackers panicked when they saw their escape vehicle destroyed.

The battle turned in the Sith's favor.

It became a massacre.

Bleez and Xen rallied their men; they began to push the rebels back.

Keera could have helped, but she was lost…out of control!

She lashed out at any enemy in her path. She did not even bother with her lightsaber. She struck back with the Force; she crushed limbs and skulls with a single wave of her hand.

Kill them, the darkness within her screamed.

KILL THEM ALL!

PEEL THE FLESH FROM THEIR BONES!

KILL!

KILL!

DESTROY!

She found one of the rebel fighters still alive, the man's leg was pinned beneath the flipper over transport, her tried to shoot her when she came up to him.

She dodged the blaster bolt; the Force had made her too fast for that.

She reached out with the Force she pulled the blaster from his hand and sent it flying.

She then reached out and seized him by the throat; the Force became an invisible hand.

She began to choke the criminal.

Her vision burned red, her vision blazed red, her face was hot, and it felt like it was raining lava.

Somehow, in some way, Avaryss managed to come back, managed to take back control.

She found herself in the possession of a prisoner.

She could still feel Keera in the back of her mind, trying to fight back, trying to emerge again.

She did not let her.

She looked down at the soldier.

He was choking; his skin was turning from red to purple.

She relaxed her grip, not enough for him to take a full breath, but enough to let him talk.

"Who sent you," she growled.

The man glared at her, he clamped his mouth shut.

She began to close her fingers.

He gasped as her grip tightened.

"Who…sent…you?"

The man gagged, but still kept his mouth clamped shut.

In that moment Avaryss was beyond pain.

He will suffer, she thought.

He will bleed.

I will keep him alive until I know the names of each and every one of his associates, he will name names, he will…

PEW!

A blaster bolt came out of nowhere; it hit the rebel between the eyes, turning his face into a burned and blackened mess.

Avaryss gasped.

She…

She …

What happened, she thought.

WHAT IN THE EMPEROR'S NAME JUST HAPPENED!

She looked over. Colonel Glasc was back on his knees, his blaster was in hand. His eyes were glazed, he was probably concussed.

He…he had killed her prisoner!

He had shot the man in the face!

DAMN THE MAN!

DAMN HIM!

"Death to traitors," he hissed.

The world turned bright red.

Avaryss threw back her head, and screamed.

She screamed in anger.

She screamed in frustration!

She had him!

He would have talked, given time!

Glasc had stopped that.

He had saved the man.

He…

HE…

ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!

Lightning exploded from the enraged Sith!

So close, she thought.

So close.

Now the chance to learn more about the rebellion was gone.

IT was gone!

She shrieked again and again.

Glasc you fool!

IT WAS GONE!

GONE!

LOST!

She fell to her knees, exhausted in both mind and in the Force. Destruction reigned around her.

She looked up, she saw a bloody and wounded Hissa looking at her, his eyes wide with shock and fear.

You should be afraid of me fool, she thought.

This is all _**your **_fault!

The pain in her head returned.

It was over, she thought.

Lost.

She almost sobbed, bitter angry tears.

GONE!


	12. The Welcome

**Chapter 12: The Welcome**

_This is not the way it was supposed to be._

Avaryss rode in silence, watching as the ground zipped past beneath them. The transport's darkened windows hid her from view as it sped back to Danna City. Windows as dark as her mood, for that it what is was.

Her arrival was not the homecoming she would have expected, or hoped for.

For the moment, the dark lord had removed her helmet and mask; she looked down upon its harsh features, the cruel expression cast in metal.

It was all she could do to keep tossing it out the window, or perhaps smashing it to splinters against the frame of the speeder. Her frustration boiled as the journey continued.

She frowned.

_I am a daughter of Oridanna, a Hero of the Empire. I should have been welcomed back with happy crowds screaming my name, and banners bearing the sigil of my House._

Her frown deepened.

_Instead I slink into the capital in an armed transport, travelling in the company of decoys so that the rebels excuse me, troublemakers, don't know which are mine, and all to protect my life._

Her eyes narrowed.

_I'm home not five minutes and already my people want me dead._

She hissed angrily.

_It wasn't right._

_It wasn't fair!_

"My lord?"

Avaryss looked up at Commander Holli, she had asked that the changeling ride with her; not just because she was good with a blaster if it came to that, but because her natural abilities would be very useful should a second attempt be made on their way into the city.

Plus, Avaryss had not had a chance to talk with Lujayne for a long time. In the absence of Taya, the changeling was probably the only friend she had.

The two had shared much. Holli had saved her life twice, and over the years they had developed a rapport. Avaryss liked to think they were friends.

Holli may not have been Force sensitive, but her changeling status made her an outsider to most, she always had to keep her guard up around strangers, with Avaryss she was free to be herself, to speak plainly.

The dark lord hoped that she appreciated that, as much as Avaryss herself did.

She was comfortable in the changeling's presence, far more than she should been given all the stories she had heard about changelings growing up.

The Sith sighed and shook her head.

It was funny, in the tales changelings were always the duplicitous ones, the ones who could not be trusted, not the people who the hero lived around.

The realization was as painful as it was depressing.

She had come back to _help _her people, and they had tried to _**kill **_her for it.

If that was not a reason to be depressed she did not know what was.

IOI

Their losses had been heavy to say the least.

All three shuttles had been destroyed. Forty six of the hundred men she had brought with her were dead, most dying aboard their shuttles before they even had a chance to deploy. Of the fifty four that had survived, nine were critically wounded, and ten more would need extensive medical treatment before they could return to their duties.

That left her forces greatly depleted, to say the least. Beric had Holli had both taken wounds from shrapnel, but only her brother had needed medical attention. Colonel Glasc had been taken away for synaptic treatments, after having suffered an extreme blow to the head.

Though she would not miss the man presence, she knew that her operations would suffer without him being here.

Despite her personal dislike, Henin Glasc was a good soldier. He had excellent command instincts, but he still had to learn to take his ego out of the equation. His arrogance had been his undoing in the past, and it would likely get him killed if he did not learn to keep it in check.

Every Sith needed a rabid dog, Glasc should have been hers.

If only he wasn't so kriffing loyal to Darth Feer. She did not doubt that the man spied on her for her master. He knew she could not touch him because of his family connections, and lived under the mistaken belief that she would never be able to defeat her master.

One day, she intended to enlighten him on the foolishness of that belief.

As for the rebels themselves, they had died to the last. Her destruction of their transport had prevented any type of escape. The Imperials had managed to take three survivors but they had all ingested poison rather than talk, the Sith had been powerless to stop the fast acting toxin from denying them any chance to question the attackers.

So…the whole thing was a loss, the landing pad was damaged, the fighters stationed there were either destroyed or needed a major overhaul, and her own forces were depleted, it was such a great way to begin her operations here.

_At least we have the bodies_, Avaryss thought, _finding out who these people were might go a long way to finding out exactly what we are dealing with here. Were the people that attacked her natives or had they come from off-world?_

That question was just the first, one of many. It was the first step in solving the puzzle of this rebellion, and when she had, she would know how to snuff it out once and for all.

Yet, right now, those answers seemed very far away, and as she had waited the transports from Danna City to come and pick them up, she had come to realize just how daunting the task her master had set before her truly was.

Avaryss had never been the type to give into depression, but in that moment, she had felt daunted.

Depression had her in its grip.

IOI

The changeling and the Sith Lord sat quietly, while the commander dealt with her injuries. As Avaryss watched the flesh of Holli's arms shifted and rippled like water in a pond.

TINK!

TINK!

TINK!

One by one, small pieces of metal fell from the changeling's arm, as she used her abilities to expel the shrapnel from her flesh.

_An impressive display_, Avaryss thought.

Some might have found it disturbing, but not Avaryss.

Once again she found herself thinking about trying to mate Holli with one of the Sith she knew. A child born with the both the Force and the abilities that her friend possessed would be most formidable indeed.

Of course, thinking of mates and children just got her thinking more and more about Fenn, and the fact that she had not spoken with him, and that his duties seemed destined to keep them apart.

She thought of Taya and Fimm and their little daughter, and how unlikely it was that she would have a child of her own at this rate.

Her depression grew. She tried to refocus on the work at hand, but even that presented a problem.

_How am I going to deal with this_, she wondered, _she had no desire to crush her former home beneath her heel, but at the same time it was clear that she was surrounded by enemies. How did one survive if one did not crush one's enemies?_

Then there had been the matter of Keera. How Avaryss, when wounded, had lost control and Keera had emerged to take over, take over and used her powers while Avaryss had been trapped within her own mind.

The realization did little to improve the dark lord's mood.

In that moment, when Keera had taken over, Avaryss had been powerless, trapped. For the first time since finishing her time as a Hopeful on Fury 9, she had had no control over her powers. Her powers had had control of her.

She did not like that.

Overseer Phylon would have been furious.

A Sith controls their power not the other way around.

Keera did not make her feel any better.

_You are stronger than I realized, Avy_, she heard her say_, I look forward to the next time that I can come out and play._

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

She would not allow that. NEVER!

Somewhere deep inside her, Keera was laughing.

_We will see, Avy._

_We will see._

_I told you I would be stronger here."_

_So it seemed_, Avaryss thought.

_Damn the Farm Girl straight to the void._

_Damn her._

The dark lord sighed heavily.

It seemed that she had **two** wars to fight now, one with the rebels, and one with her former self.

_Wonderful!_

She took a shuddering breath, not really looking at anything, not even at Holli.

"I should never have come back," Avaryss said morosely.

"I should have left this Emperor forsaken place to its fate."

Holli gave her a confused look.

"You have been here before, my lord?"

Avaryss almost laughed.

_Had she never told Holli where she was from?_

_She could not remember._

Had Beric never told her which world they had come from? It was possible; her dear brother was not the type to think about the past, given what had been taken from them.

She decided to indulge her friend's curiosity.

"I was born here," she said, "It was my home."

She looked up at the Commander, her purple eyes blazing with simmering anger.

"And now…they welcome me home by trying to kill me."

Holli quailed under that gaze, Avaryss was not mad at her, but she could no doubt see how easily that could shift if Avaryss decided to take out her anger on someone.

Holli had nothing to worry about though.

She was too important to the dark lord's work.

Avaryss would rather destroy a priceless work of art than harm her friend.

'It was not you that they were trying to kill, my lord," Holli said, "It was the Sith Inquisitor that has been sent to bring this world back into line."

Holli gave her a weak smile.

"You just happen to _**be**_ that Inquisitor."

_An interesting way of looking at it_, Avaryss thought, _and probably correct._

The rebels would have struck at any Sith that Feer had sent; it just happened to be her this time.

It did not make the attempt on her life any less real, but it did put things back in perspective.

_Of course, it was possible that the rebels may have had nothing to do with the attack_, the darkness whispered in her ear.

_Perhaps Lord Feer or one of his underlings here saw an opportunity._

_Perhaps the rebels you faced were not rebels at all._

That was possible too, she did not like to think about it, but it was.

When a Sith Master's relationship with his apprentice turned to rivalry, things could get ugly very fast.

She would need to investigate this matter, and quickly.

The war continued.

She owed it to the Empire to see this matter dealt with quickly.

The attempt on her life had been executed with both precision and cunning. Her would-be killers were not a bunch of untrained fools with hold out blasters and pipe bombs. They had been using military grade weapons; the transport that they had used to crash through the security fence was a military vehicle.

They would need to determine how the rebels got access to such weaponry.

As they had waited for the transports to bring them back to Danna City, Avaryss had interrogated Magistrate Hissa.

It was clear to anyone that these people were more than mere criminals and troublemakers.

Nursing a broken arm, a wound he had gained when the shuttles had exploded, Hissa was forced to admit that the Rebellion here on Oridanna was more than a few angry troublemakers.

He admitted to her that a military transport like the one used in the attack had been stolen two nights ago from a weapons depot. As for the weapons the assassins had used several shipments of rifles and grenades had vanished in the last few months. At first Hissa had suspected that weapons were being stolen by outlaws looking to sell them on the black market, and had responded as such, sending out agents to watch the various criminal elements that now thrived on Lord Feer's Oridanna.

It was not until the first bombing that the Magistrate realized just how wrong he had been.

Avaryss listened to the man's story; it did little to improve her mood about the matter.

In truth, she was tempted to kill Hissa for his failure, but in the end thought better of it.

The Magistrate could have lied to her, tried to pass the blame up the command chain. He did not, with the exception of a final subtle reminder that Moff Galek had been informed of these thefts but had not been effective in answering them.

The dark lord informed him that she was willing to give him a chance to redeem himself. They needed to double their efforts in dealing with these criminals.

Hissa agreed, promising her that there would be no further failure.

"I do hope so, magistrate, for your sake," she had said.

"When word of this attack reaches my master, he will not be happy, and he is not as forgiving as I am."

Hissa had swallowed hard; she could almost hear the sound of his brain working.

If he was smart he would work with her.

He would help her figure out who had ordered this clumsy attack.

She welcomed that chance, the chance to pay these traitors back.

In the meantime, she needed to speak with the leadership of this world not just the Moff of the Itae system, but any Sith as well...

She hoped they would have more answers for her than Hissa.

Lord Feer had given her command of the enforcers here, with her own troops decimated she would need them more than ever. Technically they still belonged to Darth Sadi, but it would be her that would be working beside them from now on.

She would need to test them quickly. Discover which ones would support her, and which ones that would need to be removed.

"I think it is safe to say that the Magistrate was wrong about these rebels," Holli said with a frown, "They are more than mere troublemakers."

"That is a certainty, yes," Avaryss agreed.

"Do you have any ideas, my lord? Are there any allies that you could call on here, someone who might owe your family a favor?"

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

Once she would have said that the Wilkes were her best chance, but given everything that had happened the night her family died.

No…she was on her own.

She would deal with this rebellion on her own, as she always had.

She had her wits and the dark side was her ally, with those two resources at her disposal, she was not easily denied.

"We shall deal with these rebels in our own way, Holli," she finally said.

"As you wish," the changeling said, "As always…we are with you, my lord.

The engineer smiled.

"You can count on us."

Avaryss smiled.

"Thank you, my friend," she said.

"That means a lot to me."

Holli fell silent again, watching the ground pass quickly beneath them.

Avaryss glanced up into the sky; somewhere out there Fenn was doing…whatever it was that a Jedi did during wartime.

_Be safe, my love,_ she thought, _and find your way back into my arms soon._

_Be safe._

IOI

After almost an hour of travelling, the transports finally found themselves within Danna City. They zipped across the skyway as they made their way to the central tower.

Avaryss looked down, taking in Oridanna's planetary capital.

Things had changed a bit since the last time she had been here.

Danna City had never been the largest city on the planet, but it had been the most useful. It was here that the planets resources were packaged and sent out to the rest of the Empire. The buildings and wind walls designed to protect any leaving or approaching ships. Founded by Grand Moff Vaiken's during his conquests, Danna City was the nerve center that made the planet's resources relevant to the Empire's needs.

Before the Sith had come, Oridanna had been lightly populated speck in the galaxy. Its native human population had existed in a sense of blissful ignorance, with the exception of the occasional pirate attack; Oridanna had not been worth the time of another major power to secure it. It had been considered too far out, and too small to be noticed.

That all changed when Grand Moff Vaiken's ship found itself in high orbit.

After the Sith Holocaust, and resettlement on Dromund Kaas, the Emperor had commanded Vaiken and the other remaining Sith military officers to expand their Empire quietly, no news could be allowed to reach the Republic. Secure in what the Republic considered the Unknown regions, Oridanna, Pholis and the rest of the Itae system had been a backwater during the days of the Golden Age of the Sith.

Now…it had become necessary.

Much as he had done on the planet Pholis, also in the Itae system, the future Grand Moff had offered the people a choice. The Empire was growing again, it needed food and supplies, in exchange for their crops and their loyalty, the Emperor offered order, trade opportunity, and protection from their enemies. The Empire spent the next year exterminating the pirates that had been preying on Oridanna and Pholis, within a decade both worlds had gained full membership status within the Empire. The people had accepted the Empire's terms as the best way to be a part of the larger galaxy, no real complaints had manifested, the people had been content with their lot; they lived their lives and met the Empire's quotas, fulfilling their duties and needs. It was a deal that had lasted for almost a thousand years.

Now…Darth Feer had managed to destroy that deal in less than five, even more proof that he deserved to pay for what was happening here.

Avaryss stared down at the city, at the changes that Feer had brought when he had taken over. It looked like the city's outskirts had been extended. She saw many more military installations than she remembered from years before. She saw new weapons, gun emplacements, turbo lasers and missile launchers. She also saw what looked like an arena. It seemed that Darth Feer had brought gladiator games to Oridanna. As for the city itself, its streets were fairly silent, things seemed quiet, but when she reached out with the Force she could tell that something was amiss.

Prepare the Moff had placed a curfew in effect or declared martial law, either was a possibility given the recent troubles.

She could sense a great deal of anger down there, anger and resentment.

Danna City was a powder keg, just waiting to explode.

The shuttle banked a hard left and began its final approach to the government tower. The winter winds and turbulence made the turn difficult but not a problem for the especially designed transports.

Avaryss sighed and put her mask and helmet back on.

When she met with Moff Galek she intended to look her best, it would be far too dangerous to show any weakness around the man and his retainers. Magistrate Hissa should have returned by now as well, and with him the story about what had happened to her.

She was curious to see how the Moff and his fellows responded to the failed assassination attempt.

How they responded would help shape her next actions.

She would need to watch them closely, see how they reacted.

It was likely that one of the people she was about to meet had something to do with her near death at the air field.

If one slipped up and gave her a clue that they had been involved in the attack, she would know where to start her investigation; from there she could start the long hard job of ripping this rebellion out by the roots.

Before she could truly play the game, she needed to know the players. From there she could choose her next move.

It was the only way to win.

IOI

"This way, my lord."

The servant led her down the corridors of the central tower, past many droids and low level government functionaries. Her apprentices walked at her side, followed closely by Warmaster Bleez.

Avaryss reached out with the Force as they went, trying to get a sense of what was truly going on.

She had left Holli in command of her remaining forces. Quarters had been prepared in a private wing of the tower for them. Her remaining guards would secure it while the Engineer swept the entire floor for hidden cameras and listening devices. She would be spied upon, that was a given, but that did not mean that she intended to make things easy.

The number of Imperial soldiers here was a bit surprising, Oridanna's garrison had never been so large during her father's time, of course, with the war on, it might be considered necessary, with an active rebellion even more so.

She was shown to the towers executive meeting room. As she entered the four already in attendance rose to their feet.

"Inquisitor Avaryss," a herald at the door announced.

Avaryss stopped and nodded in greetings.

So, she thought to herself, here we go.

A heavy set man and the head of the table came around to greet her, his pale skin with red blotches was familiar to him, as was his thinning brown hair and handlebar mustache.

"Lord Avaryss," Moff Galek said pleasantly.

"Welcome to Oridanna."

He offered his hand but she did not take it. The man, realizing what she was doing pulled it back quickly, embarrassed.

She smiled beneath her mask enjoying his displeasure.

"You were absent at my initial arrival, governor," she said coldly.

"How fortunate for you."

"Yes…um…I heard of that," he said shifting his feet uncomfortably.

"Dreadful business."

"It was," she agreed coming around the table, to take her place at the head of it, her apprentices and Warmaster following closely behind. She took a seat in the governor's chair and turned her gaze upon him once more.

"We are going to have to make sure that it is not repeated in the future."

If the Moff was insulted by her decision to take his seat he did not show it. He clearly knew who she was and her reputation.

He took a seat at the far end of the table, looking chagrined.

As he should, Avaryss thought, this rebellion has flourished under his nose.

He would need to answer for it.

Magistrate Hissa sat to her right, his arm in a sling, he covered his mouth slightly, hiding a smile, and he no doubt took pleasure in seeing his boss humbled in such a way, especially considering his desire to replace him. As for the other two, they were unknown to her.

Introductions were hastily made.

To her right sat Les Moor, Oridanna's minister of trade, dark skinned and bald, the man was thin with careful cold eyes.

Avaryss had never heard of the man before, she figured he had likely been installed by her master, to oversee the management of her world's resources.

She would need to determine quickly if the man could be trusted.

Opposite the trade minister sat an alien, one of the Pho people of Pholis. The creature introduced itself as Lob Vekk, ambassador for the Pho people.

The Pho, or seal men as some Imperials referred to them were an aquatic species. The ambassador's small head and long dart-shaped body glistened where his skin was visible. Large dark innocent looking eyes regarded Avaryss curiously, the whiskers under his wide curved mouth twitched as he kept his flipper like hands on the table before him.

"Lord Avaryss," he barked, "It is good that you are finally here. Our worlds need a swift end to this crisis."

She tilted her head.

"Do you consider this rebellion a crisis, ambassador? I was led to believe it was a simple matter of troublemakers making things difficult."

Hissa shifted in his seat, her little reminder of the attack at the landing pad meant to remind him of his place.

"I would not call it a crisis yet, my lord, Minister Moor said, "But it could become that if we are not vigilant. We have already seen a disruption in trade; preparations for the coming spring have been halted in several provinces. Not to mention the various instances of sabotage on the nationalized farms."

Avaryss nodded.

"I take it security has been stepped up to meet these challenges?"

"It has," Hissa informed her, "Of course, given the influx of new people in the last few years, our troopers and security volunteers cannot be everywhere at once."

"Too many bodies, not enough security," Moor agreed.

"We are expecting a shipment of security droids to arrive next week," Moff Galek informed her, "That should take some of the burden off of our military personnel.

Avaryss leaned back in her chair.

"Influx of people," she said, "I was unaware of an increase in immigration.

"New workers were required to meet the Empire's needs, Moor said, "We have recruited all we can among the native population, those that lost their homes during Lord Feer's rise have mobilized to the best of our abilities. The indentured serve well, but…"

Avaryss' eyes widened, her masked face turned to the Minister.

"Indentured servants," she said, "Here on Oridanna?"

"It was necessary to meet the quotas," Moff Galek informed her.

"Before the program was instituted," Hissa said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "We had too many squatting camps forming out on the plains, they were hotbeds for trouble."

"The offering of Indentured contracts allowed us to bring the farmers back into the fold," Moor added.

"As for the necessary physical labor," the Hutts have proven most useful in finding us strong bodies. New workers arrive once a month from the processing centers on Nar Shadda. It was a necessity, given the turnover rates."

The Trade Minister gave her a knowing smile.

"The war has forced us to be more…proactive in meeting the quotas."

Avaryss remained perfectly still; she could still not quite grasp what she was hearing.

Workers from the Hutts, native Oridannans forced to accept Indentured servitude."

She put one and one together.

Darth Feer had brought slavery to Oridanna.

Her people were loyal, had been loyal, now some of them were slaves on their own land.

She probably should not have been surprised.

Feer was not the type to accept excuses. He liked results, still…slavery?

She still could not quite believe it.

"What type of turnover?" Avaryss asked, thought she could guess what it meant.

"Lord Feer demands much of us," Moff Galek said apologetically. "We had to push the workers quite hard to meet Imperial demands."

"Demands that continue to go up," Moor shrugged.

"The strain has proven too much for some," The Moff added, "Fortunately for us, in times of war, there are always more workers. The Hutts assure they can meet our demands, and as for skilled labor, the native population still serves quite well in that capacity."

Avaryss gripped the armrests of her chair, her fingers squeezing them angrily.

She understood that war asked much of the common citizen, but this…this…

She barely suppressed an angry hiss.

She found this…distasteful. It was one thing to use slavery and Indentured workers on a world that was newly conquered, but this…this…

Her eyes narrowed.

No wonder the rebellion had sprang up, Feer had declared war on his own people!

Plus, who knew where these slaves had come from. The Hutts had been making use of Republic refugees for years. If there were former Republic citizens among the new workers they likely spoken with the native Oridannans spreading Republic propaganda, lies about the Jedi and how they were all equal under the gentle guidance of the Republic Senate.

A cold shiver ran down Avaryss' spine.

She looked around the table, trying to get a sense of who she could trust.

The Pho ambassador had said nothing during the meeting; he kept those large brown eyes of his on the table, keeping his thoughts and emotions to himself.

Magistrate Hissa radiated with disgust at his fellows, as a native of Oridanna she wondered how he saw what was happening on their world.

It would likely be useful to speak with him later.

I have many things to do, she realized.

She would need to speak with the slave masters, try to get an idea of what kind of people they had been delivering to her home. She would also need to go to both the nationalized farms and squatter camps that Moff Galek had mentioned.

She would need to meet with her people, those that had lost everything because of Feer's policies.

They were looking for someone to save them, if she played this right she could be seen as a protector.

Holli had not been wrong on the way here, she needed allies.

Why not start building among those that were at the very bottom of the new Oridanna?

The new Oridanna, she thought.

The mere thought made her want to retch.

She would need to confer with Lord Marr. He would likely not feel the same anger that she did about this situation, but he might give her ideas in how to move forward.

They will never trust you, Keera's voice whispered in her ear.

Te people will see you as Feer's lackey.

They will never open up to you."

Avaryss's eyes narrowed.

She would see about that.

It was at that moment that the door to conference room opened; admitting two new faces to their discussion.

Avaryss looked up, her eyes recognizing the one in front from her holo.

It was about damn time.

"Sorry I'm late," Darth Sadi swept into the room like she owned the place. The Dark Lord of the Itae system gave everyone in the room a warm smile.

"Matters of state can be most tedious, don't you think."

Avaryss sneered beneath her mask

So this was Darth Sadi, she thought...

For the moment she was unimpressed.

Sadi was human, perhaps thirty standard years old, maybe a little younger, with a heart shaped face and lithe yet curvy figure. Her long curly golden brown hair done up in the latest Dromund Kaas fashion. Her skin was pale, and her features had a sly foxlike quality to them. Large oval shaped green eyes took in everything around her. Her red thin lips formed a pouty yet amused smile, most men would have thought it cute, she supposed.

Through the Force she radiated sense of doe-like innocents; she seemed amused by all around her and excited to be included in such heady events.

Avaryss did not buy what she was feeling for a second.

Sadi was a Darth under Darth Feer's direct command.

She could not judge this book by its cover.

Sadi was not clad in the robes of the Sith, she was instead dressed in a traditional Oridanna gown. A silken thing of fine fabric dark blue with pastel green highlights, stitched with designs of native flowers.

The Force changed as she entered the room, Avaryss could feel it. She could sense Moor and Galek's…infatuation with the young Dark Lord, at the least they seemed more at ease in her presence. Hissa remained distant, and the Pho ambassador remained silent.

From her own people Avaryss sensed different emotions; Xen looked upon the new dark lord with contempt. Dym was reaching out, probing her perhaps; trying to get a sense of what she might be hiding beneath her doe eyed exterior.

Bleez remained both cold and indifferent; duty is what mattered to the war master, not vapid displays of false innocence.

And it was false, Avaryss knew.

She had read Sadi's file before leaving Dromund Kaas.

The Dark Lord of the Itae system was far from an innocent.

Avaryss took note of the lightsaber clipped to the woman's gown by a dark blue sash. The hook handled design suggested that Sadi fancied herself a lightsaber duelist. According to her file, she had excelled in the one handed variation of the Makashi lightsaber style, and preferred that over the other disciplines.

Avaryss respected that, she preferred Makashi herself, but at the same time had worked with the other styles as well, to keep any potential enemies off balance.

She pursed her lips.

She wondered how skilled the other Darth was.

After brief words of welcome Sadi entered the room, she made for Avaryss first, her warm smile never leaving her lips.

"Lord Avaryss," she said offering a little curtsey.

"Lord Sadi," Avaryss replied, rising from her chair. A Darth should greet another as equals after all.

"I've heard so many things about you," the other Darth purred, "Your victories over the rogue Jedi Sy Dar Bynn, your success at the inferno nebula."

Sadi's grin widened.

"I do hope you can help us bring a swift end to the troubles on this world, my friend. The Empire's need is so dire."

"I will do my best, of course," Avaryss promised."

That is all we can ask."

It was at that moment that Sadi's apprentice step forward, perhaps eager to be recognized.

Avaryss tried to hide her revulsion.

"Hello Bael," she said with a curt nod.

"It has been far too long."

Bael Feer looked much like his father now, he was taller, and a bit more physically impressive. At sixteen he had finally started to fill out into the man he was destined to be, physically anyway.

Avaryss was not impressed. She remembered Bael from her days as an apprentice, his wanton cruelty, his sick gaze and infatuation, how he had enjoyed staring at her, watching her kill in various stages of undress.

He had been a disgusting little fungus, had he not been her master's son, she would have killed him long ago.

He looked upon her now with his mother's eyes, a proper young man in body if not in mind. Avaryss waited for the sneering child she had known to come to for front again, to speak down to her as he always had. He had been both angry and extremely jealous that she had been a made a Darth so early. Before he had left for Korriban he had barely said three words to her since her ascension. She had been grateful for the silence but…

What would he say now, she wondered; what snide comment would the little mama's boy have for her now?

Bael…surprised her?

She felt no jealousy only a warm sort of respect.

_Huh?_

_What was this?!_

"It has been too long, Lord Avaryss," he said bowing gallantly, offering her a warm gentle smile.

"Your presence here is both a welcome and beautiful sight."

Avaryss blinked, grateful for her mask.

_**What?**_

She glanced over at Darth Sadi who gave her a conspiratorial wink.

What was this now?

She held out her hand, and Bael kissed it chastely.

"Welcome to Oridanna, my lord," he purred warmly.

"Your presence is greatly appreciated."

Is it now, Avaryss thought suspiciously?

We will see.


	13. Sadi

**Chapter 13: Sadi**

"Your Enforcers will be back in the capital tomorrow morning," Darth Sadi informed her.

"You will be able to meet with them all then."

Avaryss nodded, pleased to hear that it would be so quick. In fact the longer she had sat here, the more relaxed and pleased she had become.

She smiled.

Perhaps the Dark Lord of the Itae System was not so bad after all.

The two Sith had been talking for about an hour now. She had been hesitant, at first, not even wanting to remove her mask and helmet, but now, it sat on the floor at her feet. Sadi had been most pleased.

"Bael told me you were beautiful," the other Darth had told her.

"It is safe to say that his words did not do you justice."

The compliment had surprised Avaryss, but as their meal had progressed she realized how heart felt it was, how truly honest the woman sitting across from her was.

It was a refreshing change.

After their initial encounter in the meeting room, Avaryss had gone to her new quarters in the capital tower. Once Holli had made sure that any cameras or listening devices had been disabled, Avaryss had taken a quick shower, changed her clothes and tried to relax. She had just emerged from the fresher when her holo beeped; it was a message from Darth Sadi, an invitation to dine with her this evening.

She had considered declining, but realized that such a move would not be smart. Sadi had her master's ear, and already knew all the players here on Oridanna, it would be smart to get her alone and see just what type of Sith she was.

Who knew, she might just find an ally; at the very least she would learn some things about the other Sith, perhaps even get an idea of how she might destroy her, when the time came.

It had seemed so simple, but that was before they had actually met, actually had a chance to talk.

Avaryss had not been impressed with the other woman during the meeting. She had not been sure why Darth Feer would have put her in such a post; she did not seem…the type to manage a star system and its population, especially a star system with such valuable resources.

Now…after sitting a talking with Sadi, she had to admit that she had been wrong.

The Dark Lord was probably the best thing to happen to Itae. The only one who might have been better was herself.

That realization put Avaryss at ease.

Sadi lounged at the table, an amused smile on her face. The Oridanna gown she was wearing fit her perfectly, leaving Avaryss feeling a little…self-conscious; her dress robes almost embarrassed her, made her feel like she had no sense of style.

It was strange; she had never really worried about her looks before. Even when she stood next to Xen she had not cared.

Beauty was fleeting, power was eternal, but in that moment, in Sadi's presence, she felt that…she may have been wrong.

She felt a little like a peasant, fortunately, the other Darth did not call her on it.

Avaryss was grateful for that.

Not only was Sadi beautiful and intelligent, but she was humble too. Oridanna could not have asked for a better dark lord.

It was good that her home was in such good hands.

_What are you doing?_ Keera asked from her place in the back of her mind.

_What are you thinking right now?_

Avaryss ignored her, as she usually did.

_Not now, Keera_, she thought.

_I'm working._

Sadi's quarters had a warm…homey feel to them. Not content with the traditional Imperial style of slate grey walls and bright white lighting panels, the dark lord had chosen a more…Oridanna design. The walls and flooring was a mixture of tans and dark browns, in fact the quarters remained Avaryss a bit of the farm where she had grown up.

She felt comfortable here, welcomed, the presence of Darth Sadi made things even better.

Sadi sat close to her, an amused expression on her foxlike face. Her eyes almost glowed in the low lighting, her skin catching the light of the setting sun.

As the suns at set the room became darker, more intimate.

Avaryss had never felt more comfortable.

The two sat at a small table near a balcony, the door leading out to it was currently closed, and the glass darkened the privacy mode engaged.

It felt like the two Sith were the only two people on the planet.

The dinner that they had enjoyed had been perfect; all local delicacies. The buttered land shrimp had been delicious, as had the spiced Yogga root. It had been some time since Avaryss had enjoyed such a meal. Such foods were quite common on feast days during her childhood, but beyond that the Lylos family had eaten simply.

They could have had better, Father being an overseer, but he had not wished for his children to be spoiled.

Those had been simple times, Avaryss thought, happier times.

Sadi smiled at her and she looked away slightly, blushing.

It all seemed, so perfect, it was perfect.

Bael emerged from the shadows, offering to refill their wine glasses. Her master's son had been a perfect gentleman this evening, serving his master and his guest without a word of complaint.

She had done such tasks herself once. Early in her training Darth Feer had kept her close, asked that she serve him during the visits of Important Imperials and fellow Sith. She had been forced to stand there while he had told the tale of her recruitment into the Sith, and the breaking she had endured. Feer had enjoyed telling the tale of how he had brought her into his service. She had bristled each time he had done it, but she had been forced to remain silent, lest she anger her master and be punished as a result.

Now Bael was doing it, and he was doing it without complaint. She did not even sense any anger in him.

His actions, and feelings, surprised Avaryss.

Bael refilled their cups; Sadi accepted only the finest of Oridanna wines. It was good, but it was a little stronger than what Avaryss was used to, a lot stronger actually. She briefly wondered if Darth Sadi was trying to get her drunk. If that was the case it would not work. She had learned long ago to use the Force to purge poisons from her blood; it worked just as well on alcohol. She was using that power now, it was subtle, and she guessed that her host was none the wiser.

She listened closely as Bael spoke both softly and respectfully to his master, he even smiled at Avaryss when she nodded in thanks.

Strange, she thought.

Very strange, indeed.

_Something is wrong_, Keera whispered, _he doesn't…feel right in the Force. Reach out, Avy; tell me that I'm wrong._

Again, Avaryss ignored her, the annoying voice in her head.

Why couldn't Keera just shut up and leave her alone.

Let her enjoy this wonderful evening with the rightful Lord of the Itae system.

Still…Keera did have a point. Bael was different, more than different.

She definitely wanted to know why.

She held her tongue while Bael was there; she had no desire to upset him, which might bring out the old Bael Feer that she hated. She waited patiently, waited until Darth Sadi had dismissed him for the night.

When he was safely out of the room, she began her probing.

"He seems so different," she said, trying to make this sound as mere conversation, and not an accusation.

_That is the understatement of the century_, Keera said, _Bael was an idiot, a hateful cruel idiot. Yet, now…he had seemed almost like a real Sith Apprentice._

Sadi laughed, and waved her hand dismissively.

"I will confess, when I first met young Bael on Korriban, I was not impressed with his attitude. He had a sense of entitlement that was bigger than the Valley of the Dark Lords.

Avaryss almost laughed at that.

Yes, that _**did**_ sound like Bael.

"We all grow up eventually," Darth Sadi said, "The trials on Korriban change you, and once I was able to reach him, show him what kind of master I could be…"

Sadi giggled.

"He had come quite far, don't you think?"

Avaryss nodded.

The change was almost unbelievable.

It was another instance of the Dark Lord's brilliance.

"But how did you do it?" Avaryss inquired. Memories of the hateful little rodent her master's son had been continued to play through her mind.

Sadi smirked as she took a sip of her wine, Avaryss sat entranced, watching the way her lovely neck moved.

If the other dark lord was aware of her watching she did not show it.

She seemed pleased with herself, like this was the most entertaining of games.

"I did the one thing that no one else in Bael's life has done," Sadi informed her with a shrug, "I listened. I listened to him, his hopes and dreams, and together…we built a rapport."

She leaned in closer, Avaryss could smell her perfume, sense her strength in the dark side.

It was enough to make her swoon.

"I've always been good at listening," Sadi murmured, "You would be surprised what people will tell you when they know they have found a sympathetic ear. The Moff has come to trust my council, the trade minister too; they both have accepted my input."

"Wise of them," Avaryss said dreamily.

"I'm glad you agree, inquisitor," Sadi said using her official title, hearing it made Avaryss almost beam with pride.

"I'm good at listening, I always have been, always, and right now, Lord Avaryss, you have my complete and undivided attention."

Avaryss felt warmth suffuse her, she was grateful that she was so important.

"There are those however who do not agree," Sadi said, her smile fading, "Those who think they know better than me, better than the one that Lord Feer trusted to govern this place. That alien that calls himself an ambassador is one, and Magistrate Hissa is chief among them."

Avaryss felt a flicker of rage.

How dare they oppose the will of Sadi.

Maybe she could do something to them. Prove her willingness to work with her fellow Sith.

She wanted Sadi to be pleased with her.

_What?_ Keera asked.

"_Avy, are you listening to yourself?_

_Avy?_

_Avy?_

Darth Sadi could not hear Keera's words, a fact that Avaryss was grateful for.

She did not wish to be embarrassed by what she had once been.

"Perhaps you can do something about him; the magistrate I mean," Sadi requested, "Hissa has no respect for his lord. You saw how foolishly he allowed the attack on you today."

"Yes," Avaryss said nodding dumbly.

"The man was a fool."

_Avy?_ Keera hissed, _Avaryss?_

_Wake up._

_Can't you hear me?_

Darth Avaryss felt like she was floating, she was lost in the eyes of the lord of the Itae system she was drifting.

_Damn it, Avy!_

_**WAKE UP!**_

Avaryss' mechanical hand moved almost of its own accord, it struck her wine glass, causing it to tip.

The contents spilled in her lap, shocking the young Sith Lord.

She gasped in surprise, it made her lean back, the wine had been chilled, it was ice cold.

It was at that moment that it happened.

It was at that moment that Keera finally struck.

She used her strength to push the befuddled Avaryss into the back of her mind.

Keera blinked and looked around.

She could feel the warmth of the room, the pressure on her mind.

She did not like it.

"Oh dear," Sadi said, still trying to sound like the generous host.

"You have spilled all over yourself."

Keera rose from the table, moving away quickly.

_I gotta' get out of here,_ she thought.

_I have to get out, right now!_

She bowed her head and forced herself to giggle.

"I'm sooorry," she said, adding a bit of slurring to her words, "Toooo much wine."

She backed away quickly; she reached down inside herself and summoned her mental shields, bringing them fully to bear.

Act drunk, act like you are not a threat; give the other Sith no reason to suspect otherwise.

Avaryss was still out of it, her will nothing to Keera's in that moment.

The girl that Avaryss had once been now had total control...

…Lucky for her, lucky for both of them.

She took another deep breath, her mind and will now shielded by the strength of her mental shields.

It was good.

Her head felt clearer when it was done, Sadi did not seem to sense the change, or if she did she did not care.

_What is going on witch_," Keera thought, her purple eyes pinning the dark lord.

_What were you trying to do?_

Keera could feel Avaryss trying to come back, to force her way back to the forefront.

Keera did not give her the chance.

"Excuse me, my lord," she said bowing her head to her host, "thank you for the lovely evening, but I should go. I…I need to get cleaned up."

"Off course," Sadi said dismissively, "Have I good night, Inquisitor, I will make sure that the enforcers will be ready for your inspection in the morning."

Thank you, my lord," she said bowing, all the while backing up towards the door. She used the Force to retrieve her helmet, she snapped it on quickly. It had been created by a famed Sith Alchemist, one who had designed it to help protect the wearer from the Force abilities of a stronger rival.

Avaryss felt better with it on, she could sense the runes inside the helmet powering up, drawing on her connection to the Force; reinforcing her own mental defenses.

She needed that, it…it felt like she was drowning, it was all she could do not to sit back down and listen to Darth Sadi drone on and on for hours.

Get out, she thought.

I have to get out now!

Keera nodded and retreated trying very hard not to run, to not let the other Sith know that she was on to her.

_What was that about_, she wondered?

_What had Sadi been doing to Avaryss?_

She did not feel safe until she was out of the dark lord's quarters and back into the hall, moving quickly away, her two bodyguards walking a respectful distance behind her.

Keera sighed.

Now, she thought shaking her head.

That's better.

She did her best to appear drunk until she was out of eyeshot of the other Darth's quarters. Even then she was slow to lower her guard. She walked straight and with purpose, trying to get away, to regroup and regain her composure.

She did not stop until she was safely back in her quarters. Once the door was safely closed and locked behind her Avaryss removed her helmet and flung it across the chamber.

"Damn you, Keera," she shouted out loud, her voice thick with emotion and a Dromund Kaas accent.

"Don't you know what you have done?"

"I just saved us you ungrateful shutta," Keera responded, it was funny that Keera never used the Dromund Kaas accent that Avaryss had worked so hard to pick up.

Her former self sighed.

"The least you could do is show a little gratitude."

Normally Avaryss' anger and rage would have been all that she needed to push Keera back, to send her back into the shadows in their mind, but not this time.

"You are lashing out at me like an angry child," Keera hissed, "your anger has no real focus, another effect of Darth Sadi's perhaps?"

"Don't speak badly of her," Avaryss snapped back, "She is the rightful lord of Itae. We owe…"

"Her nothing," Keera spat, "Can't you hear yourself? Sadi is not our master; she is enemy to be swept aside. She is Feer's humble dog, but it is you that is acting like one right now."

Keera shook her head.

"If I hadn't intervened, who knows what you might be doing right now? You were about two steps away from declaring yourself Darth Sadi's loyal dog. I would not have been surprised if you lay down at her feet and begged for her to rub your belly."

Avaryss hissed.

"How dare you!"

"I dare because I'm right, and you know it!"

"You know nothing! Sadi is…"

"Our enemy," Keera spat, heading for the fresher, she turned on the faucet and splashed her face with cold water.

"Wake up Avy!" she shouted.

"Wake up already!"

Keera looked into the mirror; she was shocked by the reflection that stared back at her.

It was the reflection of the Avaryss, and it wasn't pretty.

The image that stared back at her was cringing creature with glowing red eyes and bone white skin. The eyes were ringed with deep purple circles, the flesh puckered and wrinkled from the dark side. A heavy respirator mask hid her nose and most of her jaw.

The reflection surprised Keera.

She could almost hear the mechanical in and out of the respirator mask; taste the kolto rich air on her tongue.

It sickened her.

We left that look behind on Korriban, she thought, it was strange that Avy still saw herself like that, still identified with what had been arguably their weakest moment.

I thought I left this reflection behind me, long ago, Keera thought morosely.

She was annoyed that Avaryss reminded her of it.

"What are you talking about," Avaryss snapped at her, "I was in the middle of gathering information. I was starting to work Sadi, learn her secrets."

"That is not what I felt," Keera said with a frown, "You were loving Sadi's attention. You were reveling in it that was not strength…that was surrender."

Avaryss blinked, those red eyes showed…confusion?

"I was?" she asked.

"You were, search your feelings, think back, and remember, how were you acting, and why."

Keera watched as Avaryss shook her head, trying to think back and clear it. She waited watching her other-self working through her anger and taking a look at what had been happening, what had really been going on.

She could feel the change, when Avaryss realized the truth, she felt it, and saw it in her reflection's eyes.

"I…what was I doing?"

"I was asking you the same question," Keera said, "Sadi is not our ally, yet you were willing to side with her for…what?"

Avaryss' eyes narrowed. She looked at Keera with a look that was thick with a cold simmering anger.

"What happened," she asked, "Was it the wine?"

Keera shook her head,

She did not think so, of course, then again maybe it was.

Avy had been so focused on how strong the wine was, using the Force to burn up the alcohol. What if Sadi and drugged the wine with something…subtle. What if she used a drug that made a person more open to…suggestion?

If you combined such a drug with the Force, you could go a long way in influencing someone, even a Dark Lord of the Sith.

"Impossible," Avaryss spat, "My will is too strong to be manipulated in such a way."

"Don't let your over confidence blind you," Keera said, "You were so focused on not getting drunk that you could have missed a more subtle drug in your system. Remember what Master Adaz told us once."

"The moment you believe yourself invincible is the moment that you are not," Avaryss answered, she was no longer angry at her other self.

She was still pissed, but not at Keera.

She was angry at herself.

"Perhaps we now have an answer to what happened to Bael," Avaryss suggested, "Perhaps Darth Sadi is not the good little Sith she pretends to be?"

"Maybe," Keera agreed, but she would rather not say anything until she was sure what had happened.

She looked down at her wine stained robes.

Perhaps she should send them back to _the Emperor's Wisdom_, the science section aboard her destroyer might be able to analyze the wine, and determined if it was drugged or not.

One thing was certain, if Sadi was using drugs to control Bael, Darth Feer would not be happy. She would wait and see what the report from her science officers said.

She might just have an opportunity here.

Avaryss seemed to be back in control of herself, but Keera was still hesitant to let go.

Twice now she had been able to throw of the shackles that held her in Avaryss' subconscious.

She was in no hurry to go back.

"It seems that we have come to a dangerous place," Avy said, "More so than we realized."

"So it seems," Keera agreed, "What are we going to do about it?"

Avaryss nodded, she had come to a decision apparently.

Keera was curious to see what it was.

"We cannot continue on as we have," Avy informed her, "We will need to come to a new arrangement."

"What sort of arrangement?"

Avy sighed.

"We are surrounded by enemies, more so than usual, enemies that are far more cunning than we realized."

"That is true," Keera agreed, "So?"

"So, I'm tired of fighting with you. We waste our strength struggling with each other. We could use that strength to oppose the foes that mean us real harm."

Keera almost laughed.

Was she for real?

"You want to form an alliance?"

"A temporary one, at least until we have completed our mission here. We must stop the rebellion. The Empire needs us to succeed. "

Keera nodded.

She understood that.

Of course, it led to another important question.

What would happen next?

What happened after they had crushed the rebellion and dealt with Lord Feer?

"What happens when we win?" Keera asked.

"We are getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren't we?" Avy cautioned.

"I just want to make sure that we are on the same page," she replied.

"What happens after?"

Avaryss pinned her with a cold and imperious look.

"When we are done, when the rebellion has been crushed and Lord Feer is dealt with. We finally settle this matter between us."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Keera inquired.

Avaryss sniffed.

"We have ourselves a good old fashioned mental Kaggath, you versus me, to the death. The winner takes full possession of our body, and the loser fades away forever."

Keera smiled gamely.

"You would face me for control?"

"I would."

"No tricks?"

"We are beyond tricks, are we not?"

Keera nodded, she could not help it.

She was intrigued.

It was a chance to rid herself of her weaker self, to be free to make her own choices, without Avaryss' interference.

Yes, she was most intrigued.

She had been growing in strength for months now, years.

Avaryss' victory was no longer the certainty that it once was.

Keera could do it.

She could defeat her other self.

She was sure of it.

She smiled gamely.

"We could do that," she informed her dark reflection.

"I would be willing to work with you under those conditions."

"Good," Avaryss said, "But if we do this, you will need to accept one final condition. It is the one thing that I need to make this alliance work."

"I'm listening."

Avaryss sighed heavily, the sigh sounded even worse coming from the breath mask.

"Fenn," she said.

"Fenn? What about him?"

"You will not reach out to him on your own. You will make no attempts to contact him, not until our work here is done."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

"Avy?"

"That is my one condition. Once we are done here, we will be free to pursue Fenn again, but for now I need you functional without any distractions."

"And what about you?"

"I will do the same," Avaryss promised, "I will not reach out to him in any way. If he contacts us, that will be one thing, but I don't believe that he will."

"He is too caught up in the Republic's war effort," Keera said, "He will not seek to be distracted."

"Yes," Avaryss said, "He was right to distance himself from us, now we must do the same."

Keera suppressed a growl.

She did not like being told what to do, especially by Avy.

Of course, her other half did have a good point.

Fenn might make things…difficult.

She nodded grimly.

Fine, she thought.

Just fine.

"Agreed," Keera said, "I will not reach out to Fenn."

"Good," Avaryss said sounding pleased.

At least they could agree on one thing.

"So what happens now," Keera asked, "Where do we start?"

"We need to find allies," Avaryss said, "And I think I have a good idea where to start."

"And where is that?"

"We follow Darth Sadi's example," Avaryss said, "She named two members of the ruling council that may prove useful to us.

"The Pho ambassador, Lobb Vekk," Keera said, "And Magistrate Hissa."

"Exactly."

Keera pursed her lips, she considered that.

The two could be useful, the Pho were pacifists, but the ambassador might have some idea of what Sadi was truly up to, both here and on the Pho homeworld. Keera was hesitant to trust Hissa, but she played things just right.

She might be able to turn things to her advantage, maybe.

"What about the enforcers," Keera asked, "Feer has placed them under our command."

"We will need to test them," Avaryss said, "If Sadi could find a way to control Bael, who knows if she has not done the same to the Enforcers here."

"True enough," Keera agreed, "We will need to watch them.

"Agreed."

Keera frowned.

An alliance made sense, what did it matter who won between her and Avaryss if the body they were fighting over was killed before she could reclaim sole possession of it.

Still…It did feel a bit like surrender, she did not like that.

She did not like the idea of giving Avy any kind of victory, no matter how well it served her at that moment.

She sighed.

What options did she have?

It was not smart to stand alone, not when she was surrounded by people that likely wanted her dead.

Keera nodded.

It was an alliance then.

So be it.

"How do we start?" She asked Avaryss.

"So you are willing to let me take the lead?"

"For now," Keera said, "where do we start?"

"I will speak to Hissa tomorrow; try to get an idea of what I can expect from our new charges, these enforcers that our master has saddled us with.

"And if they cannot be trusted."

Avaryss chuckled.

"Then we will need to arrange some accidents," she said, "The Empire needs a strong Oridanna, we must do whatever it takes to see it come to pass."

Keera nodded.

"Agreed."

"Whatever it takes."


	14. Allies

**Chapter 14: Allies**

Another restless night.

Being back home, being surrounded by the sights and sounds of her childhood should have been relaxing for Avaryss.

They were not.

The dark lord spent another night without any real sleep, every time she closed her eyes nightmares were waiting for her. Horrors, both new and old, awaited in her night time world. Her mother's words, the soft strains of an old lullaby, Sadi's wide welcoming grin, the fires and explosions of the assassination attempt, all seemed to rise up, twist, and turn into one long vision of pain and what ifs.

Avaryss rose from her bed with an angry hiss. It was not the first time that she had been to endure such evening. As she had always done, she sat on the floor beside her bed, closed her eyes, controlled her breathing and meditated. She focused both on her enemies and what she would need to bring them to heel. She thought of the many slights she had suffered, and who would need to answer for them when the time was right…

But above all else, she focused on her hatred, on the things that held her back, the rivals that remained out of reach of her judgment and vengeance. As always, Darth Feer was in the center of that intricate web. She had been his apprentice for more than half a decade now, and in that time her rage and anger had not dissipated.

She imagined the day they finally faced each other, the day that she finally ended this twisted dance that they now found themselves trapped within.

She had imagined herself killing Lord Feer many times, in ways as different as they were painful and degrading, and still…whatever she thought of, whatever fresh torment she dreamed up still seemed to be nothing compared to what she had suffered at her master's hands.

Death was almost too good for him, especially considering what he had done to her home.

What he had done to Oridanna.

It was another death mark in a very long ledger between the two of them.

She longed to see it settled.

Keera remained blissfully silent during her meditations, it seemed that what she had once been was willing to obey the terms that they agreed to. She could still sense that side of herself watching quietly. It reminded her quite a bit of the light side shard that still burned so brightly in her breast.

I wield great power, Avaryss thought, both over the Force, and others, but at the same time, mastering myself remains a power out of my reach.

She frowned.

One day it will be the death of me, she thought.

One day it will be my undoing.

She no longer tried to undo the light within her; she had come to think it was now impossible. The light within her was tied to her relationship with Fenn, she was sure of it now.

As long as he remained alive, and in her heart, she would never be totally rid of it.

Then you need to work harder to bring him into the fold, the darkness whispered.

You cannot go on like this forever.

She acknowledged that fact, but at the same time, she did not see how to do it.

How to bring Fenn into her orbit without sacrificing his desire for her? How was she to do it?

His loyalty to the Jedi and the light remained strong. Despite his feelings for her, he would not betray his friends and allies so easily.

'_Maybe you need to find a common goal_, Keera offered_, a common enemy that both you and Fenn can agree needs to be stopped. _

Avaryss nodded.

It had worked with Terrog after all. She and Fenn had fought on the same side during their war against him.

The trick would be to get him alone and in a situation where his vaunted Jedi teachings could not protect him. He needed to face a threat that offered true fear. He needed to be in a situation where the light was simply not good enough.

She would have to find a way to expand on the anger she had felt inside him. She needed to find an outlet so that he could give into it.

It was not an easy challenge, but the Force willing, she would find a way.

I thought we were not going to focus on Fenn right now, Keera reminded her, I thought that Oridanna needed us more.

Avaryss sighed.

Keera was right, for once.

It was their home that needed her right now.

She continued to look deeper into the darkness, searching for answers, trying to come up with a plan of how best to succeed. Oridanna was a battlefield unlike any that she had walked on before. She could not simply win the day by swinging her lightsaber or casting a spell.

The grand war of politics was something else, she understood the game, thanks to Darth Marr and the rest of their cabal, but that did not mean that she enjoyed playing.

You need to find someone who does, the darkness offered, you need a skilled politician on your side, one who is both loyal to Oridanna and the Empire, and at the same time ambitious.

Thanks to Darth Sadi, she had two candidates in mind.

She would need to approach them both.

It was still two hours before dawn when she finally emerged from her chambers. She had bathed and changed and made her way down the hall of tower floor that now served as her home and base. She was once again confronted by how small her contingent of guards had become. She could have contacted the Emperor's Wisdom, Captain Kannady would send more troops if she asked. However, Bleez could not guarantee the loyalty of such reinforcements. The hundred men that the Warmaster had trained had been vetted, their loyalty to their master reinforced.

Avaryss was not very confident about bringing in more troops, especially ones that might be more loyal to her master than they were to her.

No reinforcements from the Wisdom were out of the question, for now, but perhaps that was not entirely a bad thing.

Fewer men meant that there were fewer chances for a leak. It would make it easier to keep her secrets…well…secret.

Still, she could not proceed alone, she needed allies here on Oridanna if she was to complete her mission, and that meant recruiting.

Once again, she could not do that alone.

Sadi would no doubt be watching her, who she talked to, where she went. She would need to trust others to go where she could not, see people that she did not wish Sadi to know she was associating with.

It was for that reason that she made her way to her brother's quarters.

Sadi did not know her relationship to Beric; at least Avaryss did not believe so. His service record only gave his operating number, which was unusual, but not unheard of. Most soldiers had a past; some chose the army to escape it.

If anyone wondered, Beric was simply one of those, and if they did any digging the truth would support that. As long as they did not dig too deeply, the relationship between her and her brother was safe, for the moment anyway.

Avaryss was grateful for that.

She knocked on his door, and was met at the entrance. Her brother, already dressed in his trousers and white tank top, had always been an early riser after all. His hair was still wet and his face clean shaven.

He let her into the room without a word. She rarely visited him these days if it was not about business.

"Sister," he said nodding.

"Is there something you need?"

"We must speak, brother. I have need…"

"Is someone here, Ric?"

Avaryss frowned when she heard Xen's voice emerge from the still running shower. Her brother blushed and looked down like a guilty child. It seemed that her apprentice had spent the night here

Avaryss held back the urge to roll her eyes.

Damn it, had she not warned him?

Did he choose to simply not listen?!

She said nothing more about it, because she had already discussed the matter with both of them, and they both knew what was at stake.

"It is Lord Avaryss," she called out in answer, "I'm here to speak with Beric."

There was no response except for the turning off of the water. Xen emerged a few moments later, wrapped in a black cloth bath robe.

"My lord," she said bowing.

Avaryss nodded, and quickly turned her attention to Beric. Xen retreated into her brother's bedroom, stopping every few seconds to pick up a piece of clothing.

Avaryss said nothing about it, about the trails of clothes leading to the bed.

Her brother was a grown man.

He did not need his little sister embarrassing him.

Besides, they had much to talk about. Allot had happened in the last twenty hours.

She wanted to bring him up fully to speed.

She and her brother sat down talked about what had happened the night before. Darth Sadi's invitation, what had become of Bael Feer, and her escape from the Dark Lord's chambers.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm not going to surrender all my worldly goods to Darth Sadi if that what you are wondering," she said dryly, "Though I cannot deny, the dark lord is most…charismatic. She might even be an expert in Force persuasion."

Her brother's mouth became a grim line.

"When you say persuasion you mean control, don't you?"

More or less."

Beric nodded.

"Thought as much," he muttered.

Her brother did not seem surprised when Avaryss mentioned that Sadi seemed to have some kind of…influence over people.

"I got an impression of that last night," he informed her, "When you live around soldiers you get used to them complaining about the higher ups, at least when they know that no one is listening.

"I take it you heard no criticism of Darth Sadi or her methods?"

"No criticism," he answered, shaking his head, "All I heard was praise, from what I gathered from the troopers stationed here Sadi is one of the best administrators Oridanna has ever seen. Not a single complaint was heard."

Beric shrugged.

"That is unusual, especially in the Sith military.

Avaryss eyes narrowed.

Interesting, how did Sadi inspire such loyalty.

She had assumed that she had been drugged the night before. She might have been, but what Beric was suggesting was something more.

Did Sadi have some kind of natural charisma through the Force? It was possible. Such powers were not unheard of, but they were rare, and could be quite taxing, both physically and mentally, on the wielder. Now all she had to do was determine its range, and how effective it was.

"Keep listening," she ordered him, "Listen for any voices of dissent and let me know who and where they are stationed.

Beric shuddered; he did not like the idea of talking out of turn about a fellow trooper, one that might be harmed because of it.

"I'm not going to report them to Sadi," she promised, "I need to see how far her control has spread here in the capital, it might give me an idea how best to proceed, so that my own plans don't trip over hers.

Her brother nodded, he still did not seem very sure, but he had not refused her order either.

Not that he would, but it was good that he accepted what she had said, on some level anyway.

"We should probably watch the others as well," he suggested, "If this dark lord does have some kind of fancy mind control ability, we should make sure that she is not working on our people. We likely have enough spies around us as is."

Avaryss nodded. A wise precaution, she thought, she did not like to think that any of her people would betray her, but…

What if they had no choice?

She remembered the changes in Bael.

What if that was just the smallest example of what the other woman could do.

They needed to be cautious.

Xen finally emerged from the bedroom, armed and armored. She gave her master a sly smile.

"Why don't we just kill the witch and be done with it?" she asked her low sultry voice.

Avaryss shook her head.

"Darth Feer would not approve of such an action, plus it would likely only inspire the growing rebellion here. If the Sith openly start fighting amongst ourselves…"

"So how do we precede then," Beric asked, "We cannot just pretend that nothing is going on."

"We won't," she promised, "But we need to move slowly and carefully."

Avaryss smiled and turned to Beric.

"I will need you to speak with the Pho Ambassador, get an idea of where he stands both on the Rebellion and the current state of rule in the Itae system."

"Would he talk to me," Beric asked, "An Imperial soldier?"

"He will if he knows you are a local, if you have a stake in seeing your homeworld protected."

The Dark Lord smirked.

"For once you should try and drop any attempt at keeping a Dromund Kaas accent. We want people to know that we are locals, it might go a long way in winning local trust."

Xen laughed lightly.

"You might also want to consider not wearing the mask and helmet so much my lord," she offered, "If your parents were as important as Beric claims, you might win allies by simply being associated with them. Showing your face might go a long way in winning friends."

Avaryss considered that.

No, she was not quite ready to do that yet, and besides, it was unlikely that anyone would recognize her, what with the changes the dark side had made to her features.

_I think you are selling yourself short_, Keera said, _have you really looked in the mirror lately, __**truly**__ looked. The dark side has not ravaged your face and body as much as you fear. Your skin is no longer so pale, and some might find those dark purple eyes of yours…inviting._

Keera laughed lightly.

_We are neither a ghoul nor a tom boy anymore. We are actually quite pretty._

_We should use that to our advantage._

Avaryss frowned.

She was still not sure.

Coward, Keera chuckled.

Shut up, Avaryss thought morosely.

You are not helping.

Avaryss turned to Xen.

We will collect Dym, and when the Enforcers arrive, we will meet with them, see if Sadi wields any direct control over them.

"And if she does?" her apprentice asked.

Avaryss sneered.

Then a few accidents will need to be arranged. I will not suffer spies to remain so close to me, especially spies with power."

Xen nodded.

"I was hoping you would say that," she purred, "It has been some time that I've gotten a chance to kill my fellow Sith."

Avaryss was not shocked when she heard that,

Xen had only joined her for the chance to kill Sith that had harmed her friends during the sack of the Jedi temple. Most of those Sith were dead now, destroyed by their own machinations, but Xen's hatred remained.

Avaryss was willing to feed that anger, especially if it kept her loyal.

The three of them rose from their chairs and began to tend to the days business. Beric whispered to his paramour to be careful, and gave her a soft chaste kiss on the lips.

Avaryss turned away quickly, a spike of both jealousy and loneliness rising in her breast.

I'm a lord of the Sith, and yet I find myself standing alone. I could have any man I desire, but the one that I truly want is lost to me.

It is so unfair!

Try not think about it, Keera soothed.

Our time will come, she promised.

Avaryss sighed.

Yes, she thought.

Our time will come.

IOI

After a quick meal Avaryss spent the next few hours working with her apprentices. Dym and Xen spared with both her and each other in the tower's training room. It was nothing special, until recently Sith Lords had not spent a lot of time here, but for their needs it was adequate.

The Muun was quickly proving himself to be a cunning fighter. His tall but slender frame contributed well to his use of Ataru. He moved with both impressive speed and an aggression that Avaryss found refreshing. Xen could be aggressive when she needed to be, but it was not her default setting.

Despite her use of the cross guarded lightsaber, or executioner's blade, she had a tendency to fight on the defensive, to let her enemies come to her.

It was a style more fitting of a Jedi, but that was not unexpected, after all Xen Loor had begun her Force training among the ranks of the Jedi.

Your style is not the most aggressive either, Keera reminded her.

Avaryss sniffed.

That was different.

Avaryss' style, the use of Soresu was to compensate for her lack of size and strength. Her Makashi, or duelist style was very aggressive, she simply needed to set her targets up before going in for the kill.

Her style had to with strategy, not a lack of aggression.

When she and Dym sparred for the first time, she did not even bother igniting her lightsaber. She let him come to her, insisting that he make her draw her weapon and defend herself.

Dym attacked with ruthless savagery, but every time he swung his blade she danced or spun out of the way, she flipped and tumbled back, avoiding strikes that would have beheaded or maimed a lesser opponent.

Xen knelt in the back of the room watching the two with a look of amusement.

She had faced this test before; Avaryss had tested her with it months ago. She knew how it ended.

"STAY STILL!" Dym snarled.

"No," Avaryss said with a smirk.

"**RAGHHHHH!"**

The Muun lost all self-control and lunged at Avaryss, he gave himself fully to his rage, not even bothering to try and shield himself.

It was what she had been waiting for.

Avaryss caught him in a Force grip. She wrapped the Force around her apprentice's throat like an invisible garrote.

Dym began to choke, shocked by the power that his master wielded, she closed off his wind pipe so completely he dropped his sword.

Avaryss used the Force and called it to her, she watched as Dym dropped to his knees, he was struggling, trying to free himself, his fingers weren't quite clawing at his throat, but he was likely thinking about it.

Avaryss grinned.

It is over, she thought.

I win.

For a moment she feared that the Muun would not submit that he would choose death over defeat. True, they were only training, but some Sith did not know when to choose to fight another day.

If he doesn't offer me his neck, I will destroy him, she thought.

He _**will**_ learn his place.

She tightened her grip even more, a strangling whistle escaped the Muun's throat; he continued to glare at her.

"You know what I want to see, apprentice," she purred.

"Live or die?"

She thought it would end right there, that he would be too stubborn.

Finally, it happened.

Dym gasped, and tilted his head, offering her his throat.

Submission she thought with a pleased smile.

Good.

She released her grip, and he fell to his hands and knees, gasping for breath, coughing.

Xen smirked.

"Humiliating isn't it," she smirked.

Dym glared at her, trying to regain his breath.

Avaryss chuckled.

"You would know," she reminded the girl, "You once knelt where he is now."

She nodded, her smile never leaving her face.

Such humiliation was part of Sith training.

An apprentice needed to learn their place.

Dym had started to rise when the door to the training room hissed open. Avaryss turned with a frown, angry at the interruption.

Darth Sadi stood before her, behind her stood four Sith warriors, the enforcers that she had mentioned yesterday.

Avaryss grinned.

Wonderful, she thought, now she would get to see what she had to work with here.

"I do hope I'm not interrupting," Sadi said with a bit of a pout.

"I know how important training can be."

"It is fine," Avaryss assured her, while at the same time doubling her mental shields.

She would not see a repeat of what happened last night.

Dym and Xen both rose and went to their master's side, just in case Sadi or one of these others tried something stupid. It was unlikely, but such things were possible.

Avaryss preferred to err on the side of caution.

Why take chances?

She could feel Sadi reaching out with the Force, but this time she would find to foot hold.

Avaryss smiled beneath her helmet and mask.

She would not be so easily snared again.

Clad in a gown of dark crimson, Sadi smiled and stepped aside, motioning for the enforcers that had accompanied her to come forward.

Avaryss regarded this collection of Sith.

They were a curious quartet to be sure.

The one to the far right called himself Gnar; he was a slim Sith pure blood with dark red skin and bright golden eyes. His black hair was cut short, in what some might call a military style.

At his side walked two small Tukata, large blue beasts that were sometimes referred to as Sith Hounds. Avaryss had fought wild ones during her student years; packs of the beasts were known to hunt in the various tombs in the Valley of the Dark Lords on Korriban.

They are his, she realized, neither moved unless he took a step first. An impressive display of power, she thought, most impressive indeed.

Gnar smiled at her.

"My lord," he said in a soft respectful voice.

She nodded back.

So far so good.

The second and third Inquisitors had a familiar look; both were human both with dark blonde hair, brothers perhaps, but the similarities ended there. The first was handsome enough she supposed, his features and cold arrogance suggested an early life of wealth a privilege, she could feel his sense of entitlement, it radiated like a beacon.

His brother was different.

Though they had similar eyes, their physical features were vastly different; this third inquisitor's body looked broken. He walked with a heavy limp, dragging his foot behind him. His left arm was smaller and twisted, curled up tight against his chest, his jaw jutted outward slightly as well.

He met Avaryss' look with a cold and challenging gaze.

"My lord," the prettier of the pair said, "Enforcers Raze and Ghull reporting for duty."

"My lord," Ghull rasped, his eyes never leaving her.

"We await your orders."

Avaryss considered the odd pair.

There is definitely a story here; she thought to herself, such difference in siblings is rarely without some tale to explain it.

She was most eager to hear it. She could feel the hate swelling in the two, especially the twisted one.

She was most eager to see what he could do.

The fourth was a female Twi'lek, a creature with neon green skin, to say she was dressed provocatively would be an understatement.

The girl made Xen's choice of wardrobe look tame.

She was clad in thigh high leather boots and a long loin cloth. A breast band like top with a single shoulder plate protected her chest, over it all she wore a zeyd cloth black poncho, which would have hid her features of she had not pushed it back like a cloak.

Her eyes were two glowing yellow orbs, suggesting someone deeply rooted in the dark side. Her right arm and head tale were tattooed with Sith Glyphs. A single Sith tattoo adorned her forehead, a pointed shape like a crown with a long black tail running from her forehead, and down the left side of her face.

She regarded Avaryss curiously.

"You're new," she said in a voice more fitting a little girl than an adult Twi'lek.

"This is lord Avaryss, Chylde," Sadi informed her.

"She will be your new master, from now on."

The tips of the Twi'lek's head tails twitched.

"So she is to be our new mother," the girl smiled warmly.

"I do hope she is a kind and generous mother."

Avaryss gave Sadi a questioning look. The other dark lord shrugged.

Clearly this one was not your typical Sith, but then again…were any of them.

Avaryss pursed her lips.

Which of these were fully in Sadi's pocket, and which ones possessed a loyalty that was more fluid.

She would need to determine both.

Avaryss stood straighter; she put all of her power into her stance and voice.

Let these know that they now stood before a Darth, one that did not need mind powers to control others.

"Kneel before your new master," she growled, "Kneel before Inquisitor Avaryss!"

As one of the four did as she commanded, Ghull did not look happy, his twisted leg made kneeling difficult.

Avaryss did not care.

"My lord," they said in unison.

Avaryss nodded, she looked at Darth Sadi who smiled.

Did the woman still think she was under her control? Someone easily manipulated?

Avaryss would show her the truth in the coming days.

She had a lesson to teach.

She would enjoy it…immensely.

IOI

Avaryss took her apprentices and left the training room. It was time for the enforcers training to begin.

She did not wish to distract them.

"So we will be working with…those," Dym said, his voice harsh and angry. Clearly he did not think much of their new allies, either that or he was angry that they had seen him vulnerable stumbling and coughing to his feet.

"We shall," Avaryss said, "For now."

Dym coughed and nodded grimly, he still seemed unhappy with the way things had gone.

Avaryss said nothing to him; she had nothing to apologize for.

The Sith Lord cared little for the Muun's discomfort. If he did not like or trust the enforcers than so much the better.

He would be useful if she needed to eliminate some of them.

He and Xen may still not be enough, she realized, who knew how powerful these Sith truly were, she wanted to make sure she had overwhelming force on her side before they engaged each other.

She still needed Necris; her first apprentice was still out there somewhere. Holli was looking for her, but so far they had heard nothing back.

With luck she will return quickly, Avaryss thought.

Necris' power would be most welcome.

She dismissed the two, sending them both off on errands. Dym was to search the financial records in the tower, looking for anything…unusual.

"How do you classify unusual, master," he asked.

"Anything that seems irregular, she responded.

The Muun laughed.

I will no doubt find more than one," he said, "politicians rarely know how to cover their tracks.

He left with a bit of spring in his step, no doubt eager to find something that he could impress her with.

Avaryss smiled.

It was not the most exciting of work, but it needed to be done. The rebellion seemed remarkably well funded; they had attacked her with military grade weapons, and decent training.

She was curious to see if anyone high up was offering help.

Xen was to spend the day in the streets and cantinas, trying to get an idea of how morale was, and just how deep rebel leanings were within the city.

"Be your charming self," Avaryss ordered her, "Make no offensive moves unless provoked, let us keep things civil for the moment, at least until we know who are enemies are,"

"It will be done, my master," Xen said bowing.

"I will bring you back something…intriguing."

Xen left without another word, pulling up the hood on her cloak to hide her features.

Avaryss grinned.

Lock up your sons, Danna City.

Xen Loor is loose among you.

With her two apprentices dealt with, and Beric hopefully speaking with the Pho ambassador, Avaryss made her way down into the section of the tower reserved for the Magistrate and his staff.

Sadi had named Hissa as a possible problem.

Avaryss was eager to learn why.

IOI

She found Errod Hissa in his office, dictating a message to his servant droid. The Magistrate still had his arm in a sling. He looked up when she entered, he did not seem surprised to see her.

She smiled.

Before he could say her name in greeting, she stopped him with a raised hand.

She gestured with the Force, touching the keypad on the Magistrate's desk. When she was done, she motioned for him to look.

A single phrase stared back at him.

Can we speak privately?

Hissa looked at her and nodded, he sent his droid away, and pulled out a small device, he turned it on, and it began to beep, beeps that quickly switched from beeps to low tones.

Avaryss hissed as a blast of static ran through the sonic bafflers in her ears.

She shook her head and regarded the man, who shrugged innocently.

A jamming signal, she realized.

It was nice to see that Hissa took no chances.

When the device had finished its cycle, he put it back in pocket and smiled.

"What can I do for you, Lord Avaryss," he said, "We can speak plainly now."

"Darth Sadi wants me to do something about you, magistrate," she informed her, "I would like to know why."

Hissa snorted and shook his head.

"Damn that woman," he said, "If you are not one of her favorites she thinks that you have no place here."

Avaryss only just kept from laughing.

Hissa would never be one of her favorites that was for sure. Not with the way he had once ogled her mother.

No, she did not like him, but that did not mean that he was not useful.

"You did something to earn her ire, I take it?"

Hissa shrugged.

"Everything that I've done I've done for the Empire. I was barely in my teens the first time I put on a uniform. I've worked my whole life to see not just my fortunes, but the fortunes of Oridanna rise."

The magistrate shook his head.

"I've done everything that your master has asked of me, everything. You could not find a more leal servant than me, and yet now he saddles me with Darth Sadi and Moff Galek continues to tie my hands in dealing with not just the rebellion, but other matters as well."

The man sneered.

"My lord I deserve so much more than this. I deserve an audience with the Dark Council, surely they must know of Oridanna's potential."

Avaryss nodded, she was pleased that not much had changed in the last few years.

Hissa was still an arrogant and overly ambitious fool.

She could make use of that.

"Speak plainly magistrate," she ordered, "How deep has Darth Sadi sunk her claws into Oridanna, is there anyone that I can trust here. Are our enforcers leal servants or just some of her pawns?'

Hissa pursed his lips and crossed his good arm over his chest.

"That is a lot of questions," he said.

"They are," she agreed.

"How do I know that this is not some kind of set up? Perhaps Sadi has put you up to this, to get me to say or do something that she can use to have me removed?"

Again Avaryss was impressed.

He is not as big of a fool as I thought. He is ambitious yes, but that might be just what saved him from Sadi's manipulation, he is looking for his glory, not the glory of others.

She could use that.

Let me talk to him, Keera said, Let me out and I can win him to your service.

Avaryss took a deep breath, and allowed it. It was a strange sensation letting go, but she had given her word.

If they were to work together, she and Keera needed to trust each other.

Keera smiled beneath her helmet.

"You have nothing to fear from me," she said in her old Oridannan accent, "We both want the same thing, a better stronger Oridanna, and the right to say that we were responsible for bringing it to pass."

Hissa's eyes widened slightly.

"You…you are one of us. You were born here?"

"Born and raised," she admitted, "Who I was before does not really matter anymore, all you need to know is that I remember a better time on Oridanna, a time when we did not have to be so…concerned about the comings and goings of the Sith Order.

She looked him straight in the eye.

"I would see those days return."

Hissa looked her up and down, as if to decide if she could be trusted.

Finally he nodded.

"You will speak to Lord Feer on my behalf then? You will tell him what his happening?"

Keera snorted at that.

"You do not need me to speak to Lord Feer, what you are looking for is a patron, a Sith who can take you beyond Oridanna.

She leaned forward, moving in closer, he took a step back, and might have taken another if she had not offered her hand.

"You do not need Feer, Magistrate. If you want a Sith patron, you have one, if you are willing to work with me."

Hissa looked down at her hand, then back up at her masked faced, she could almost hear him thinking, weighing the risks.

Finally, he decided.

"For Oridanna, and the Empire," he said taking her hand, and bringing it to his lips.

He kissed her knuckles chastely, and then dropped to one knee.

Avaryss smiled.

She had an ally.

"Indeed Magistrate," she said.

"For the Empire."


	15. The Speech

**Chapter 15: The Speech**

"You have five minutes, my lord."

Avaryss nodded as she checked her reflection in the mirror one last time. Her boots, helmet, and mask had been polished to a mirror shine. Her black cape with crimson in lining had been cleaned and patched. Rather than wear an unmarked Imperial officer's uniform she had chosen to wear the tan coat and black leggings of an Oridanna security volunteer. That idea had come from Magistrate Hissa, and it had been a good one.

"The people need to see you as a protector," he had advised, that you represent the order that has kept them safe since the Empire first came to our world.

The man had smiled pleasantly then.

"For many years the Imperial Mission has taken sons and daughters of our world, taken them to be trained and sent out into the greater Empire.

"It will be most gratifying for the people to know that one of those children has finally returned, not just as a mere Sith but as a Dark Lord, a Dark Lord ready to defend them from their enemies."

The thought amused Avaryss.

She could not speak for other Oridanna born Sith, but from experience she knew that the changes that the dark side brought took away most if not all of the ties of kin and homeworld. Those other children had probably had no desire to return after they had come into their full power. It was a desire that she understood, because she had shared in it. She had been hesitant to return, to dig up old bones so to speak, but the Force had brought her to this place, and so she would make the best of it.

Of course, what Hissa said was not without merit. It could even be quite valuable.

_He has a point_, Keera chimed in_, perhaps, I should make this speech, Avy. It might be better received coming from someone speaking in the voice of an Oridanna citizen._

Avaryss considered that, but rejected the idea, for now.

Once things had been formally established, once the old guard Sith here knew that she could be trusted, she would reveal her origins to all of Oridanna, but not yet.

First she had to reassure her people…

…Then…she could start building bridges.

Colonel Glasc arrived a few minutes later; he had brought her the data pad containing her speech. Today's transmission would be the first time that she addressed the people of her homeworld. This speech would be broadcast over the local holonet to every settlement on the planet.

The people were about to meet their High Inquisitor, she wished for that meeting to be as positive as it would be enlightening.

Avaryss regarded the loyalty officer, he seemed unaffected by his recent injuries; she thought she could see a small adhesive bandage sticking out from beneath his cap, but beyond that, he seemed much his old self.

She could not say that that was a good thing or not.

"It has been prepared by some of the best speech writers in the Empire," the Colonel assured her, "It is both patriotic and fiery. It will play well to the strengths you showed during your various speaking engagements after the victory at the Inferno Nebula.

Avaryss nodded, though she had never considered herself a politician, those speeches had been her first foray into Imperial politics. She had been hailed a hero after her victory over Darth Terrog, and as such she had gone on a small tour of the Empire, addressing not only Sith Acolytes but Imperial army and navy cadets as well.

Those speeches had been…interesting. She had been very nervous the first time, afraid that she would stumble in her words and make a fool of herself; she was a warrior, not an orator, before that she had only spoken to small groups of other warriors.

She was surprised to find that it was not that different. The people that she had addressed were loyal Imperials, Imperials that had been simply eager to see their hero. It had given her the confidence that she had needed at the time.

Now, she felt little or no nervousness at addressing the people of her homeworld.

It would be…fun.

She did a quick perusal of the speech; she could see what Glasc meant about it being fiery. She did frown when she came to a spot near the end.

"What is this?" she asked, "This part near the end?"

He took the pad and read it himself, he smiled slightly.

"Oh, yes, those are the predictions you are making regarding the effect of Rebel operations on the economy, and how it hurts the people of this world over all."

She nodded and took the pad back.

"Aren't we getting a bit ahead of ourselves? How can we be certain that these things will happen?"

His smile widened.

"Because they **need** to happen, you need not worry about particulars, everything has already been arranged. When these events occur you will be seen as both insightful, and the right voice at the right time."

Avaryss nodded, but inside the Keera side of her was repulsed.

_They are going to hurt __**our**__ home just to make you seem __**more**__ relevant. _

_Are actually okay with that?_

Avaryss was not, but she was smart enough to hold her tongue, at least for now.

She needed to build a rapport with her people first, then when she had more personal power and autonomy here, she would be free to prevent such things from happening again.

As Glasc had said, it had already _been arranged_, all she could do now was help her people weather this storm, and emerge from it stronger than ever.

It was the best possible outcome.

_I see your point, _Keera said from within her, her voice radiating with a sense of moroseness.

_Seriously, Avy, I __**hate **__politics._

In this they were of a like mind again.

Avaryss hated politics too.

She once again read through the speech, she saw several opportunities to tweak it where she needed to. She wanted to play to her people's strengths remind them of the fact that the Empire had saved their world before, and now, in these uncertain times, could do so again.

She smiled to herself. She even had a perfect line. She knew the perfect way to end the speech.

_I have come to save you._

Such words might have been strange coming from a Dark Lord of the Sith, but that is what would make them that more powerful.

_It is you that will speak those words, Keera_, she thought, _it will get people talking, curious if they heard what they heard. An Oridanna voice from a Sith Lord…_

Avaryss smiled.

_It will be the first step in building what we need to here._

She sensed Keera's acceptance, perhaps even her agreement. Feer had done serious damage to the Sith Order's reputation on this world.

It was time to start repairing it.

She handed the pad back to Glasc; the speech would be on the holo-prompter before her as she stood in the holo field and gave her speech. According to what it said on the pad, the speech would be approximately five minutes long, provided she recited it in a calm and yet authorative voice.

She could do that, it was nothing that she had not done before.

She took a deep relaxing breath, and let it out slowly.

Right now in the settlements all across Oridanna, the sirens would be going off, the sirens that summoned the people to hear a message on the public information system. Moff Galek would make a brief introduction, and then her image would be broadcast across the planet, they would meet their High Inquisitor, their savior.

Avaryss smirked and made her way to the broadcast chamber.

She was most eager to have her moment in the sun.

The broadcast room was full of Imperial technicians. Men and women who made sure that these public broadcasts went off without a hitch. Avaryss nodded to them in passing, once this was done, she would make sure that they knew how much she appreciated all their hard work.

_It was never too early to start making friends._

Speaking of which, Hissa had already begun to earn his keep, he was sending messages to the security volunteers; those that had not been touched by Darth Sadi. It was from them that she would recruit her new protectors.

They would have a vested interest in serving a lord from their own homeworld. Avaryss intended to see that they understood that she was more than just another Sith, but was someone who could speak for them.

Avaryss also recognized the need to have a second at her side, someone who the locals trusted. Her home had changed much since she had fled, she would no doubt need someone at her side that was familiar with the players that had been active in the last few years; give her a sense of just who it was she was dealing with.

The Magistrate seemed confident that he could find such a person. He had several candidates in mind and would have them report to her after her speech. From there, she could choose the one that best suited to her methods.

She hoped that this person would be up to the challenge. She asked much of those that served with her, but rewarded good service when she found it.

Hopefully, Magistrate Hissa's pick would enable her to get an idea of just how strong the rebel movement was here, and give her an idea of how best to crush it beneath her heel.

She looked up at the monitors scattered around the broadcast room, the security camera feeds were being piped in from the various nearby settlements, and it would give her an idea of how well her speech had been received.

Right now she could see the image of the Moff standing over the people, he was making a short introduction for her, informing the people that the Empire had seen fit to install her as Oridanna's Inquisitor.

"Transmission begins in ten seconds," the officer in charge of the broadcast center informed her.

She stood at attention, and awaited his go ahead. She listened to the countdown and waited.

She watched the hologram of Moff Galek fade out, she stood straighter, awaiting her chance to speak.

"Online in five, four…"

Avaryss smiled beneath her helmet.

It was time.

The officer in charge motioned for her to begin. She heard the holo pad beneath her feet activate.

On the monitors around the room, her image appeared on the public address system.

She nodded and began her speech.

"Loyal citizens of Oridanna, I am Darth Avaryss, Dark Lord of the Sith, and High Inquisitor of the Itae system. I speak to you now, brothers and sisters, not simply as a member of the Sith Order, but as a loyal Imperial unsure of our future in these turbulent times."

She relaxed her posture, seeking to appear more…approachable.

"The loss of our Emperor has hit us all hard; the blow that the Republic cowards have dealt to us will be answered in kind. The Emperor is gone, but its commitment to the people remains. I've come to inform you that you are not alone. The Empire that has shielded you for so many generations has neither forgotten nor rejected the sacrifices that we have asked of you. Your continued safety and security remain our main goal. We are…"

Static screamed out of every audio receiver in the broadcast room. Avaryss hissed in pain as her sonic bafflers tried to compensate. On the monitors the image of her vanished, across Oridanna, her speech was being jammed.

Avaryss shook her head.

What?

What was going on?!

"Report," she shouted.

"We are receiving interference, my lord," the officer in charge informed her.

"We are attempting to compensate now." added a technician.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

They needed to restore the connection.

She had just been getting started. They could not simply…

On the monitors, a new image appeared on the public address system, a floating gold symbol that Avaryss did not recognize, the hologram of it rotated like a cred-coin.

"What is that," she demanded.

"Someone give me a straight answer!"

A new voice filled the broadcast chamber, it was both strong and defiant; the tones altered by some voice changing program, making it sound neither male nor female.

Its message was not one that Avaryss had wanted to hear.

"To the sons and daughters of Oridanna, this is the Voice of the Resistance! Do not believe Sith lies and propaganda. This Inquisitor is not here to aid us, but to continue the cycle of oppression that we have known since Darth Daverus was assassinated almost five years ago."

Avaryss hissed.

_Who was that?_

_What was the meaning of this?_

"We are **not **traitors. We are **not** Republic sympathizers or terrorists. We are Oridannan like many of you, and like many of you, we have felt the sting of Darth Feer's cruelty, endured the pain of his corruption and tyranny. Once the Empire protected us, we produced for them and they offered their technology and friendship. We bowed to the Emperor and we were rewarded for our loyalty. The covenant struck between us and Grand Moff Vaiken was a good one, a fair trade…"

Avaryss growled. She looked over at the technicians; the officer in command was barking orders, trying to figure out what was happening, how these rebels had seized control of the Imperial broadcast system.

"Jam that signal," Avaryss shouted, ""And start a connection trace, if the fools continue to broadcast we can follow it back to its source, make sure that this does not happen again."

"We are trying now, my lord," the officer promised.

She glared at him.

"Don't try, _**do it!"**_

The man nodded and got back to work.

Avaryss looked up at the screens in a sense of barely controlled horror.

_What was this?!_

_How was this even possible?!_

"We have all suffered under the rule of Darth Feer, now a member of the dark council. He has chased innocent farmers from their land. Burned down homes of those that have spoken against him, and taken our loved ones as hostages to try and silence us; loved ones that he gladly executes live over the holonet for all to see."

Images flashed across the screen images of public executions being carried out by Sith troopers.

Avaryss cringed.

This was not the way she wanted her reign here to start.

"Now Feer sends his favorite pet, his lap dog, to reassure us; this Darth Avaryss is _**no**_ real leader, she is his sword of vengeance, and she will bring down even more death and destruction on our beloved home."

The images changed again, Sith troopers executing people, walkers opening fire on crowded streets, and detention camps set up in inhospitable areas.

"Behold, Darth Avaryss' handy work," the rebel voice continued, "These images are of worlds that once belonged to the fallen Sith Darth Terrog. These worlds fell to Lord Feer when his loyal servant defeated Terrog and stole his holdings…"

Avaryss snarled behind her mask.

She had had nothing to do with Darth Feer's treatment of the people on those worlds. She had been elsewhere when he began his occupation of Terrog's holdings; she had had no part in it, any of it!

How dare these liars blame her for what her master had done!

Terrog had been insane; he would have shattered the Empire and tried to rule over the ashes.

She felt no shame for his death; it had been for the good of her people.

She would not justify herself to anyone for doing her duty.

"We have sent our terms to Lord Feer," the rebel voice said, "The response to it was more arrests and more executions. His response was to send his puppet here, to force us all back into line. We were willing to negotiate with the Empire, to ensure that our way of life continued as it always has. Now…we have been forced to take a different path, a harder one."

Avaryss shook her head.

_Puppet?_

_Did they actually believe that?_

She had heard enough.

"Do we have a trace yet?" she called out.

"Not yet, my lord."

She sighed.

They had no choice.

"Cut the signal, end the transmission."

The technicians worked in silence, pushing buttons and pulling levers.

The image on the monitors did not change.

The rebel broadcast continued.

"Turn it off," the young Sith Lord snarled.

"**Turn it off right now!"**

"We are trying, my lord. We…we are locked out of the system."

Avaryss felt her heart pounding in her chest, it was all she could do not to leap out of the holo field and gut the fool officer. It fell to him to make sure nothing unforeseen happened during these broadcasts.

The fact that the rebels had managed to do just that was proof of the man's mistake.

It was a failure.

It was a failure of the highest order.

The man needed to answer for it.

And all the while, the rebels continued to spew their venom.

They needed to be stopped.

"It was to the Emperor we bowed," the rebel voice declared, "But the Emperor is now dead, and we are no longer subject to the rule of his slaves. Hear me now loyal sons and daughters of Oridanna, embrace the grand future that is ours by right…"

The rebel paused, making sure that all would realize that he or she had finally came to the true heart of this speech.

It should have fallen on deaf ears, the transmission should have been cut by now, yet it still continued.

Avaryss temper continued to grow.

"End that transmission!" she shouted, "that is a direct order!"

Her people tried to obey, to cut the signal, and again they were met with little success. Finally, one technician leapt up and started ripping on the power cells from the wall, the ones powering the holo-com's link with the satellite network.

On the screens around the room Avaryss could see the reaction to what was being shown. She saw the watching crowds throwing things at the Sith troopers. She saw their men falling back into the government buildings or at least trying to.

The rebels continued to broadcast images of Sith operations. Arrests and executions filled the screens. Avaryss had thought herself desensitized to such violence. She had seen and done worse in the service of her Emperor, but now…watching what had happened on the screens, she realized that she was still capable of outrage.

She did not blame the people of Oridanna, seeing what Feer had been doing, or what he would likely do to her home angered her, it **enraged** her. She could only imagine how the common folk, who do not understand what was truly happening, would react.

_It is all falling apart_ she realized, _she had hoped to win the people of Oridanna over to her side with her speech, now she looked complacent in every cruel act that Feer had carried out here, she looked like a willing participant in his crimes._

Avaryss did not like being blamed for something she had never done. That her own people would think so little of her only added more fuel to her anger…her rage.

Her temper continued to build, she wanted to find the rebels and crush them utterly, but they were not here.

Her fury rose.

They are ruining everything, she thought.

Everything!

"Oridanna no longer needs the Empire, the Empire _**needs**_ us," the rebel shouted, "The Itae system is strong and wealthy, and we have more than enough resources to buy our way into any legitimate government. We no longer need the Sith Empire to survive.

It does not matter to whom we turn, the Republic, the Mandalorians, or even the Hutts would be more hospitable the Empire. We have what we need to free ourselves, but we need you now good people, _stand_ with us, _**fight**_ with us. Together we can save Oridanna, together we can…

The hologram finally cut out, the image of the spinning disk and the scenes of violence and death were gone. Sadly, the trick had done its work.

Despite its ending, before the screens cut out from lack of power, she saw that the damage had been done.

Several settlements were now openly rioting. Avaryss could see the destruction on the screen; feel the fury that was a part of it.

That very same fury danced inside her now, growing hotter and brighter by the second.

Darth Avaryss, Dark Lord of the Sith was not pleased.

Ruined, she thought.

They ruined me today!

She could almost see her master's face, he would be furious with her, or…perhaps he wouldn't. Maybe…her embarrassment would amuse him. He might enjoy seeing her brought so low before the people she was trying to protect.

She imaged him laughing; she imagined Darth Sadi and Moff Galek laughing…it was too much.

It was far too much.

She stood on the holo field generator, her heard pounding in her ears, her vision tinged with red.

The last of the reserve power failed, the room was plunged into darkness.

Red emergency lights kicked on, turning everything around her the color of blood, blood and shadows.

"Did we get a connection trace, at least," she asked in a cold silky voice.

"Tell me we know that signal's point of origin?"

There was silence; it seemed to go on forever, as it continued her fury threatened to boil over.

"The signal was being relayed from half a dozen sources, my lord," the officer replied in a small frightened voice.

"We…we were not able to pin it down. We…I…I am sorry."

Avaryss took a shuddering breath.

It was too much.

It was far too much!

In the flickering red lights she saw the technician who had cut the power, a young woman in an olive grey uniform. Only she had responded accordingly, only she had truly tried to fulfill her master's will.

Avaryss had just enough self-control left to reward those actions.

She reached out with the Force and cast a sleep spell, the technicians eyes rolled back in her head as she collapsed to the floor.

Service, like failure, should be rewarded, Avaryss thought, her fury and hate boiling over, threatening to take away all conscious thought.

She had rewarded service…

Now…it was time to reward failure, the only reward that a Sith could offer such stupidity.

She reached out with the Force, the broadcast room's security doors responded, they hissed as they came online and slid down. The technicians and officers looked up in surprise, not really sure what was happening.

Avaryss growled they were all about to find out.

The rebels ruined me, she thought, glaring at them.

You all failed me!

Somewhere the rebels were laughing at her. Somewhere Darth Feer was laughing at her. Darth Sadi was no doubt laughing in her quarters right now.

They're all in on it, the dark side whispered in her ear, the technicians, the officers in this room, they helped the rebels, they are laughing at you too, they enjoyed making you look like a fool!

A mistake, she thought.

She ignited her lightsaber, its bright crimson blade glowing like the fury inside of her.

It was a fatal mistake.

Later Colonel Glasc would ask what happened; her brother would ask what had happened. Avaryss did not have a straight answer. The fury was upon her in seconds, the rage within her overflowed, and the dark side took over.

She lashed out at the technicians, and the officers that had failed her. She used not just her lightsaber but her spells as well. She drove the men and women in the room to insanity, they aided in their own destruction tearing each other apart in blind unthinking terror and rage.

There was only one survivor, the tech who she had spared; the girl was asleep during the carnage.

She was the lucky one.

By the time Beric Colonel Glasc and Beric finally opened the doors, the screams of terror and rage had ceased. They found Avaryss panting, kneeling in the middle of the carnage she had wrought, her uniform stained with blood.

She looked around the dead, and basked in the power of the dark side.

These fools at least would not be laughing at her.

"My lord," Glasc asked, visibly disturbed by what she had done.

"My lord," Beric said drawing in closer.

"Sister," he whispered when no one else could hear.

"Can you hear me?"

Avaryss took a shuddering breath.

The anger had retreated, but the power remained it was a heady sensation indeed.

She looked up at her brother, underneath her mask she smiled.

"It is okay," she murmured, "I'm here to save them."

She laughed coldly.

"I will save them all."


	16. Fallout

**Chapter 16: Fallout**

"So…not only has your presence **not **helped in quelling this rebellion, but it seems to have given it even **more** traction, and inspired the rebels to greater acts of resistance, to even suggest the desire to leave the Empire."

The hologram of Darth Feer shook his head as he glared down at her.

"Less than well done, my child," he said with a cold sneer.

Avaryss did not rise to the bait.

She suspected that her master wanted her to argue, that he wished her to complain. He wanted her to go on about all that had happened so that he would have a chance to not only rebuke her performance but slap her down.

She would not give him that opportunity

As she knelt before the hyper comm in her private quarters, it took all her self-control not to scream at her master. Not to lay the blame for everything she had faced up to this point at his feet.

And why should I not, she wondered.

It is his fault.

_He dropped us into the middle of a shadow wasps' nest and now expects the impossible_, Keera thought angrily.

_Feer had taken one of the most vital and loyal worlds in the Empire, and turned it rabid by his greed and cruelty, and now…__**now**__ we have to deal with it._

It was not what either Avaryss or Keera; would call a…ideal situation.

"We are currently interrogating anyone who had access to the Imperial holonet, my lord," she assured him, "Every interrogation suite from here to Worro is currently being used."

She smiled coldly.

"I'm surprised that you can't hear the screaming back on Dromund Kaas."

Feer nodded, his smile was small, but it was there.

"I assume that Darth Sadi has declared martial law. We cannot afford rioting and looting to affect the war effort, the food and medical supplies of Oridanna must continue to flow."

"Both Lord Sadi and Moff Galek assure me that all is being done to protect our interests, though defensive measures are only half the solution. We must crush this rebellion, and make sure that all this talk of succession is forgotten.

"And how do you intend to do that?" her master inquired.

"By making sure that the people realize the cost of rebellion," she answered, "They must see that the Empire is necessary. We must show them how their happiness and sovereignty is only guaranteed by remaining under Imperial rule."

Now, her master's smile widened.

"I'm starting to like the sound of that," he said, "I assume that you have a plan already in motion? How are you going to show the people the necessity of my rule?

_Sith rule,_ Avaryss thought to herself, _Feer was __**not**__ necessary_. In fact, if everything went as planned she would pin all that had happened to her people, all their troubles, on Darth Feer. He would be her scapegoat, and she would deliver his head to the people of Oridanna, and both they and the rest of the people of the Itae system would love her for it.

It was…a risky game to be sure, but now that she had Feer's daughter in hand, and a planetary system that she could organize against him, perhaps, at long last, it would finally be possible to unseat her master, but doing so would require expert timing on her part.

Everything would need to be prepared just so.

Everything…would need to be flawless.

Right now, Cynn Feer still remained her guest aboard the Emperor's Wisdom; she would need to find a way to move her down here without attracting too much attention. Obviously she could not simply tell the Moff and Darth Sadi that she was bringing down something important, she was starting to think that there were far too many leaks in the Oridannan government.

"I would rather not discuss my full plans on an open channel, my lord," she said apologetically, "For now, let it be said that my first step in defeating this rabble is understanding the Oridanna mind set, and I believe I have begun to do just that."

"Explain," he said.

"I've been a walking target since I first stepped off my shuttle. The Oridannans are creatures of habit and routine. The Moff's office knew that they had a VIP coming down in a shuttle the day I arrived, and at least a hundred people associated with that office, knew that this VIP was being accompanied by a full company of soldiers. At the same time, the landing field were we were redirected is the only one used to accommodate incoming military vessels."

Feer nodded.

"Routine and habit can be dangerous if read by an enemy. I assume that you think that the rebels have spies within Danna City? You think that the government tower has been breached?"

"It is most likely, my lord," she agreed, not adding the fact that it was also possible that either Darth Sadi or Moff Galek could have let it slip that she was coming, hoping that the rebels might deal with her.

Whether they would do so on their own, or under Feer's orders was the only thing she did not know…yet.

"Is that why you had the Moff's broadcast crew executed?" he inquired, "Did you believe them conspirators in the rebels' plots."

Avaryss winced.

That had been…a loss of control on her part, she had been angry and not responded as well as she could have.

"They refused to cut the transmission as I ordered, my lord," She explained, "Whether that act was simple incompetence, or treasonous, I do not know, but it is safe to say that it will not happen again."

She smiled slightly.

"It was not the introduction to the people that I wanted, but it did make my point."

Feer laughed.

"Moff Galek was…most disturbed by what happened. He contacted me directly after your little…demonstration."

"Are you angry with me, my master?"

"Not at all, my child, I believe you are starting to see how and why I've needed to be so harsh with these people. Much is needed of them, and they need tighter reins."

_That was one interpretation of what was going on,_ Avaryss thought, _personally, I have a better one._

Feer had created this mess with his pride and stupidity. She would need to win back support for the Empire. It would not be easily; the hatred and anger that Feer had planted had taken root, and now ran deep in the hearts of people.

She would need to be clever, deceptive, and cunning.

Fortunately, she was Sith.

Being clever, deceptive, and cunning was part of who she was.

"In the future, all my public broadcasts to the Oridannan people will be handled by the comm officer aboard _The Emperor's Wisdom_. I intend to give only a five minute warning before making any such announcement, which should cut down on the chances of the rebels slicing into any of my future broadcasts."

"Sounds reasonable," Feer agreed, "Anything else?"

"I will need your permission my lord to bring in unregistered supplies and personnel from time to time my destroyer remains on stand by and is one of the most potent weapons in my arsenal, not just because of its weapons, but the specialists on board. I will likely need their help from time to time. Standard imperial security says that I need to post the arrival time, crew, and cargo of any incoming shuttle a full twenty four hours before it lands."

"And you wish to shorten that time, to prevent the rebels organizing a welcoming committee?"

She nodded.

"As you wish," Feer sighed, "I will speak with Moff Galek; inform him that you have my full support in bringing in unregistered shuttles, for both the good of the war effort, and the security of your operations."

Avaryss almost smiled.

Now she would be able to bring Cynn Feer down here unnoticed, or at the very least with fewer questions asked, and all with the blessings of her father. How delicious was that?

She was most pleased.

"Despite a slow start, you seem to be quickly grasping the situation on Oridanna apprentice, now…what is your take on Pholis? Are those damn seals going to be a problem?"

Avaryss pursed her lips.

Beric had only gotten to speak with the Pho Ambassador once. He was understandably skittish about talking with anyone directly associated with the Inquisitor, and became even more so after the rebels hijacked her first speech. The broadcast delay with all off-world transmissions insured that the rebels did not get to beam their message to Pholis. The Imperials had managed to cut that at least, but it was only a matter of time until the rebels' message found its way into the hands of the Pho.

She would need to move quickly to get out ahead of that, but she had a few ideas.

She was not overly concerned.

"I was just about to send new orders to our people on Pholis," her master informed her, "I will be increasing their production quotas by twenty percent, the need of the Empire continues to grow, and the citizens must be prepared to meet our demands."

Avaryss frowned.

That would not do, not right now.

"May I respectfully request that you hold off any such orders for the moment, my lord? At least until I've been able to travel to the Pho homeworld, and get their measure."

She smiled slightly.

"Once they have seen me, once I've spoken directly with their leaders, they will know how important this increase will be. It may go far in defusing any tensions that could spring from our new demands."

_In other words,_ Keera thought, _we already have one world teetering on the brink of open rebellion; we don't need our dear master causing another to go into revolt with his greed and stupidity._

Avaryss fought the urge to chuckle.

She could not have said it better herself, though she would have been far more tactful.

Keera's social graces could be lacking sometimes.

"As you wish," her master said, sounding a bit disappointed, "Inform Lob Vekk of your desire to see his world soon. I need those new quotas filled, apprentice. My position here on Dromund Kaas depends on it."

"I will handle the matter quickly, my lord," she promised, her understanding of why he wanted this so bad now being made quite clear.

It is only a matter of time until the Council decides on which candidates should be put forward to sit the now vacant Imperial Throne. Darth Feer intends to buy allies with the supplies he is draining from the Itae system. She was not surprised, but at the same time she was annoyed.

Feer's claim to the throne was already quite strong, he had three full systems in his grip, that prestige and power made him a definite contender for the Emperor's throne, and as his first apprentice, that put her in very interesting position.

If Feer was to ascend, and then…_be retired_ by his loyal apprentice, who would be able to deny her claim to all that had once been his?

It made her rethink her time table, perhaps she should slow things down. If she waited, she might find herself only one heartbeat away from the throne of the Sith Empire.

Was that not worth the pain of her people?

Was that not worth the suffering of a full star system?

"I will move swiftly, father," she said, knowing how much he enjoyed hearing her call him that.

"All will be in readiness when you need it."

"Good," he purred, "That is very good…my daughter."

A shiver ran down her spine.

There was so much tension between them now, far more than there had ever been before. It was a like a fire in her blood, it was intoxicating.

She smiled at her master.

_Do you not realize how thirsty I am for your blood? Do you not see how eager I am to leave you dead and broken on the floor of your chambers?_

The image of her master dead at her feet excited her.

So long she had played the good student, the willing apprentice, for too long she had bided her time learning at his feet, while at the same time seeking out new lessons on her own, expanding her powers without his knowledge.

After her last embarrassment on the Emperor's station, she was determined that she would not endure another. Darth Feer's time as her master was quickly coming to an end.

She welcomed that confrontation, and if the Sith throne was at stake when they finally danced their final dance, so much the better.

What a tale that would be to tell her children. How their mother, Empress of the Sith, had seized the Sith throne in one brilliant stroke!

It was a tale worthy of a Sith Opera; perhaps she would commission to have one written one day.

Feer smiled down on her, seemingly oblivious to her ambition, her lust for his power and station.

She was Lord of Avarice was she not, the lady of greed.

How could she not hunger to take the next step?

"So, now you understand what is expected of you," Feer said, "Oridanna brought back to order, and Pholis production increased to proper Imperial levels."

"It will be done, my lord," she said bowing her head, "It will be my pleasure."

"Good," he said radiating a sense of pleasure through the Force... It amazed her that her senses could pick it up even from here. The connection between master and apprentice was quite strong.

She would enjoy severing it when the time came.

"There is one more item you will need to deal with, I did my best to handle it from here but met with little success," her master said with a slight frown.

"My darling wife will soon be joining you on Oridanna. She will be there before the week is out."

Avaryss frowned.

That was most unexpected, unexpected and undesired.

"Is that wise, my master? Oridanna is hardly a secure world."

"I've already spoken with Synestra on this matter, apprentice. She does not care, and will make the journey, despite my opinion on the matter.

Avaryss rankled at that.

Synestra Feer had never been her greatest fan; in fact, she despised her husband's apprentice. The older Sith had always regarded Avaryss as a stray, a bumpkin from the imperial fringes who did not deserve her place in the Sith Order.

She was also Cynn Feer's mother, Avaryss thought unhappily.

What if the mother sensed her daughter's presence on Oridanna, which could prove to be a bit awkward?

"I don't suppose you could talk her out of making this journey?" she asked her master.

"I cannot," he said shaking his head, "My darling wife is worried about Bael, his last few transmissions home have left her…unsettled, she wishes to see him, to make sure that he is fine in his master's service."

Avaryss didn't think that Synestra would be happy when she arrived, when she saw Bael again.

The change in the young man had both surprised and unsettled her; he was nothing like he was when they had first met. She suspected that Sadi had done more than simply teach the boy about the dark side; she may even have done to him what she had attempted to do to Avaryss.

That would not please her master's wife.

"She has to expect some change in him," Avaryss said, "Korriban is a place of transformation, as Sith we simply need to accept that and move on."

"I'm sure that Synestra will come to that conclusion as well," her master said.

Though, personally, Avaryss doubted it.

She suspected that the lady of House Feer would be furious when she arrived and met the new and improved Bael, she would likely blame Sadi for the change, and would certainly blame Avaryss.

A star could go super nova half way across the galaxy and her master's wife would find a way to pin it on Avaryss, that was simply the way she was.

"This visit will cause disruption, my master," Avaryss said with a frown, "My task is difficult enough without Lady Synestra stepping on my toes, and second guessing my choices."

"You concern is understandable, considering your history with Synestra," her master said with a nod, "All I can offer is to remind you that, as a Darth, you now outrank, my dear wife. Technically she cannot tell you what to do. She can make suggestions, perhaps even offer them through me on her behalf, but beyond that, you stand above her now. Try to focus on that, and avoid any confrontations. Let her speak with Bael, and hopefully that will be the end of it."

If only that were so, Avaryss thought.

Why does the witch have to come here now, Keera hissed in the back of her mind, it is not like we don't have half a dozen other things to worry about.

True, Avaryss agreed, but this was her son, did she not have a right be concerned about his welfare?

"Motherhood is a powerful tether, my lord," she said, "I will not interfere with its pull."

"See that you don't," Feer advised, "You will both be happier that way."

Avaryss chuckled.

"Maybe I should try and observe what passes between them. One day, when I'm a mother, what I learn might come in handy."

Feer chuckled at that.

"Perhaps, my child," he agreed, "Perhaps so."

Avaryss shivered slightly.

Something…had…it had passed between her and Darth Feer. She sensed…amusement when she mentioned starting her own family one day. No, it was not mere amusement, but something else.

It felt like a tremor in the Force.

It left her unsettled.

"Is everything okay, my dear," her master asked, "You look…troubled.

She smiled dismissively.

"It is nothing, my lord, a slight shift in the Force, give it no further thought."

"As you wish," he said, "you know what is expected of you, my child, do not disappoint me. You will bring this rebellion to heel. We have too much riding on this to accept anything less."

"It will be done my lord," she promised, bowing her head in submission.

"All of your dreams will come true," she said.

"Both yours, and mine."

IOI

Avaryss left her chambers with a spring in her step, and plans and plots on her mind.

She made her way down the halls of the government tower, her black cape swirling behind her.

Imperials moved out of her way as she passed, word had gotten out about what had happened in the broadcast room. Officially, the people inside had been killed by a terrorist's bomb, but rumors still circulated that told of another story.

Avaryss did nothing to stop that stories spread; it would go far in establishing her reputation here.

She did not accept failure, not when the stakes of the game were so high.

The Imperials would simply have to accept that.

Speaking of Imperials, she was on her way to speak with Magistrate Hissa right now. Since he had decided to ally himself with her politically he had been working hard to ensure her success in the coming days.

She hoped the man was up to the challenge. She hoped that he would reward her faith in him.

If he did not, he knew what would happen.

The rebel broadcast had not helped her cause any. Hissa was forced to reevaluate the people he had been approaching about coming to her aid. Many had seen the broadcast of how Feer did business and now were worried about their own homes be razed, their people executed.

"I am not my master," she had told Hissa, "Make sure our people understand that."

"Actions do speak louder than words, my lord," he advised, "I believe you will find greater success once the people get to know you. Once they understand that you are willing to fight for them, and the interests of your homeworld, they will start to come around."

Avaryss nodded.

The man may have been a bootlick, but he did have a point.

Darth Sadi never left Danna City; she had always left all matters outside the city to her enforcers. Darth Feer functioned much in the same way.

If the people saw her in the field, if they saw her actively trying to help them, it might go a long way in winning their support.

It would also go a long way in cutting off the support for the rebellion; right now they were trying to claim the title of defenders of the Oridannan people. If she could take that away from them, their support would quickly dry up.

Plus, when she had the people on her side, her grip on Oridanna would increase fivefold. It might be just what she needed when she finally challenged Darth Feer. If she could bring his head back to her people, she would likely be hailed as a hero for it.

It was yet another reason why she needed succeed here.

Take the world, and everything else would start to fall into place, she was sure of it…

…she had foreseen it.

It would be done.

But first, she had to win the people's support; her first steps to that victory began now.

She had requested that Hissa find her a local Oridannan, a guide and advisor that she could work with. It needed to be someone that the people trusted, someone that could help sell the story that she was the people's champion and best hope of emerging from the chaos that was threatening to engulf their world.

Before the failed speech, Hissa had said he had several candidates, after it was done, he found himself with only one. The others had dropped out, not wishing to associate themselves with Darth Feer's apprentice. She did not blame them.

They would come to regret that decision, she thought, she intended to use her advisor, but at the same time reward him or her handsomely.

That was another step she had learned towards rising in power. It never hurt to elevate ones underlings. It motivated others to seek to find their way into her good graces and service.

As for Avaryss herself, she liked seeing her underlings rise, and was always careful to make sure they realized who it was that had seen to their promotion.

It was the smart thing to do.

Never let your underlings forget who they truly served.

As she arrived outside of Hissa's office she could hear voices inside. It seemed that Hissa had been true to his word and found what she had needed quickly.

Good.

She ordered her two bodyguards to remain outside the door, preferring to meet her new advisor alone. She checked her uniform, making sure it that it was spotless, and that her helmet was secured and sat just right on her head.

She knocked on the door, and stepped in when it opened. Hissa knew she was coming, and as a Darth she should never wait on the leave of underlings. She…

She froze as she stepped inside the door, her purple eyes widened in both shock and disbelief.

No, she thought to herself.

Damn it!

NO!

She had never been so grateful for the mask she wore.

It hid her shock, her sense of disbelief!

Magistrate Hissa stood up, he gave her warm and courteous smile.

"Lord Avaryss," he said, "Welcome, may I present the young man that you requested."

Avaryss swallowed hard.

No, she thought, no, no, no!

This was not right!

This was not fair!

Why did the Force have to be so cruel?!

WHY?!

The young man rose from his chair, she knew him the instant she saw him, despite the slight change of the last few years, and the peacekeeper's uniform he now wore.

She would have known him anywhere; the Force would have told him who it was.

She could have been blinded and knew who he was.

She…she was left speechless.

It…it could not be.

"My lord," Hissa said motioning the man forward, "May I present Lieutenant Roan Wilkes of our security forces."

He Magistrate's smile widened.

"He will be showing you around."

"My lord," her child hood friend said, snapping to attention looking like the good soldier that he was.

He gave that smile she had known so well as a child, warm but mischievous.

"I look forward to working with you."


	17. Not a Monster

**Chapter 17: Not a Monster**

"Is this your first time on Oridanna, my lord?"

Avaryss eyes narrowed.

Now that she had finally gotten over the initial shock of seeing Roan Wilkes again, her temper and self-control had both reasserted themselves.

He has no right to be here, she thought angrily, no right!

_He's talking to you_, Keera reminded her.

_You need to answer him._

She suppressed a sigh.

She still could not believe that he was here.

IOI

She had been in shock when she saw him, but perhaps she should not have been. The Force moved you in ways that could be most unexpected.

She should have anticipated something like this.

Hissa, not knowing who she was and her history with the Wilkes family would not have understood what she had been feeling at that moment. How could he?

Who else could possibly understand?

Ro, being Ro, had tried to play the charming card; he had always been good at that. She remembered how the girls in his class had always giggled when he played the gentleman.

Air headed fools, she thought.

Not a one had been deserving of him.

She had not fallen for his act, she knew him too well.

When he reached out to take her hand and kiss it, she offered him her mechanical hand. That had…thrown him off his game.

_He wasn't sure what to do when he took it, _she remembered with a hint of a smile. Even to someone that was not Force sensitive, her new hand could be disturbing, the crystals built into it were designed to focus dark side energy, so that she could still use her powers despite her loss.

She had been told that some people found touching her artificial hand troubling, they could sense the dark side energies contained within.

It had had the desired effect, for the moment.

Ro had…politely withdrawn.

That experience had shut her old friend up, for a while at least; now, it appeared that he was trying again.

How special.

IOI

My lord," he repeated, "Have you been here before?"

Maybe he thought she had not heard him.

She felt her fingers clenching into an angry fist.

How would she play this now? Tell him what he wanted, or simply ignore him.

_Tell him nothing_, the dark side within her whispered, _he is far beneath you now…_

…_you don't owe him anything._

"No," she said flatly, without expanding on it any more than that.

Ro waited for her to respond further, when she did not he coughed and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

He fell silent again, realizing that it was a good idea for him to remain quiet around her.

Lucky him.

He did not understand.

He had been summoned to be her guide, and now she was resisting his every attempt at an advance.

She knew it was a foolish move on her part, but her emotions allowed for nothing else.

The past between them was too strong.

What else could she possibly do?

They were currently seated across from each other in one of the Empire's large wheeled military transports. The winds of Oridanna winters made using speeders difficult especially if a surprise storm came up. The wide based armored transports were not easily effected, it took a lot to blow them off course, their heaviness making them perfect for operations here on Oridanna.

Being aboard one made Avaryss…a little nervous, the last time she had seen one of these transports it had been outside her family farm, having transported the men and women that had killed her family.

_Do not think about that now_, she thought angrily, _all that had happened in the past, it had no relevance on what was happening now. I'm no longer some scared fifteen year old farm girl. _

_I'm a Dark Lord of the Sith, and I will not be denied._

_We need to move forward then_, Keera inquired.

_Of course, but…_

_Then why are you being such a shutta to Ro? Talk to him, we requested him after all, use him?_

Avaryss cursed under her breath, grateful for the privacy mode on her helmet.

She _had_ requested an Oridannan to work with her.

She _**needed**_ to make the best of it.

_Damn it._

As for Ro, she was not sure how useful he would be to her, Magistrate Hissa said he was both well-known and trusted by the people here. Yet, when she looked at him, she could only see the son of the man who had betrayed her father, the man who had tried to have her delivered to his son as a trophy, something pretty to make their power grab seem that much more legitimate.

Avaryss had no words to describe what she was feeling in that moment.

She did not know how much Hissa had told him about her. Only that he was likely her best bet to win the hearts and the minds of the people, or so the Magistrate had claimed. She decided that when she did have to speak to him, she would be using only her Dromund Kaas accent; she would not reveal her origins to him, not yet.

She could sense her former friend's discomfort, his confusion, she had summoned him, but now she pushed him away.

He does not realize that it is me, she thought, when he looks at me all he sees is another masked and armored Sith.

Perhaps that is for the best, perhaps Ro should not know who she truly was?

She frowned slightly.

That knowledge would likely lead to further complications.

When she had first reached out with the Force, when she touched Ro Wilkes' mind, all she felt was fear, fear and distrust.

She did not blame him, after everything that her master had done, she would not have been willing to accept her either; they would need to work on that. If he was going to help her

Of course, that would mean winning his trust, which meant she would have to open up to him, give him at least an idea of who and what she was now.

She was not sure if she could do that.

Then we have failed before we even had a chance to begin, Keera reminded her.

If you cannot gain Ro's trust, what is the point of trying with anyone else?

Keera's defense of Ro was surprising.

Avaryss did not understand the fear she was sensing, why was Ro Wilkes afraid? Had his father not risen to the rank of overseer because of Darth Feer? Why would he be fearful or distrustful of the motives of someone who had proved so valuable in the past?

It made little sense, as did Keera's response to all of this.

Avaryss' other half should have been screaming for Ro's blood, but instead, she was speaking up for him, defending him.

Why?

Why would she do that?

In fact, she seemed downright intrigued by what Hissa and the Force had dropped into her lap.

_You have questions about what happened that night_, she offered Avaryss, _why not ask them and be done with it. Ro is sitting right here._

_You want to know the truth about what his father did? Well, why not ask him now?_

Avaryss shook her head no.

There was no reason to dig up the past. The dead were in their graves…

…let them rest.

_But __**you**__ are not dead,_ Keera reminded her_, and neither is Ro. You need him, and you are stupidly holding a grudge. If the past is dead, then let it die, let go of your grudge and use him. _

She could feel Keera's desire to look upon the boy who had been her friend all those years ago.

_Mm_, Keera purred softly, _he still looks good doesn't he?_

A shiver ran down Avaryss' spine.

_Maybe you should take a closer look._

Avaryss dared a glance up, truly looking at her old friend, her former friend.

Ro noticed; he looked up at her prompting her to look away quickly.

"My lord?" he asked.

"It is nothing," Avaryss said quickly, perhaps too quickly.

Damn it.

She swallowed hard, despite her anger about the past; she could not deny the truth about one thing that Keera had said…

…Ro…he did look good.

The last time they had seen each other, Roan Wilkes had only just turned seventeen. He would be…twenty one now by her estimation. His dark hair was cut in proper military fashion, short, but by no means buzzed like some raw recruits. He was still broad shouldered with bright green eyes. He had just a hint of stubble on his face, giving him a more…rugged look. His security volunteer's uniform fit him snuggly showing off his muscular physique.

Ro had always cut an impressive figure, he had been a handsome young farm boy, and had now grown into a handsome young peacekeeper. The kind of man her father might have approved of.

Avaryss shook her head.

What was she doing?

What she was thinking, what she was looking at?

It was _**beyond**_ inappropriate.

_Why are you ogling him?_ Avaryss asked Keera.

Her response came back with amusement.

_Aren't you?_

Keera had first really got to know him shortly after she had turned ten, he was about twelve then and their fathers, recently returned from the war with the Republic, had been working closely in those days, getting used to their new positions. Andur was an overseer, and Golan Wilkes was chief peacekeeper.

As a twelve year old, Roan Wilkes had been a torment to little Keera, he had seemed to enjoy making things…uncomfortable for her. Teasing her about how she ran and how skinny and coltish she had been. At first she had tried to ignore him, but he had not let it happen, he just stayed close and kept at it, and she had been stuck listening to him. As the years had rolled by, they slowly but surely found a rapport, until one day they had looked up and realized that their relationship had…changed.

At fifteen she had grown into a curvy and athletic young girl, Ro had noticed that, and, now looking back, she realized that he had been trying to gain her attention, that what she had been experiencing up to this point had been a game of sorts, the goal, to interest the young daughter of the overseer.

Golan Wilkes, Ro's father, had tried to convince his old army buddy that his son should marry his friend's eldest daughter. Andur Lylos had never said yes to the match, but she suspected that he had considered it.

Looking back, Avaryss wondered what Keera's response would have been had her father chosen to take his old friend up on the offer?

Would she have resisted the match?

Avaryss could not say for certain.

Meanwhile, her mother had had her own ideas, and those had colored father's feelings on the matter.

That was why the deal had never really been sealed she supposed.

Mya Lylos had done her best to discourage her husband, at least, that is what Avaryss believed had happened. Looking back she realized all the times that her mother had suggested to her father that Keera be matched with the son of one of the rich landowners in the southern provinces, that such a marriage would be better for their family in the long run.

Avaryss shook her head.

How times had changed.

Mya and Andur Lylos were dead. The southern landowners had been all but destroyed. Their property now owned by her master, and she and Ro Wilkes now found themselves riding in a transport together, both in service of the man who had destroyed her family.

Irony.

Had things happened a little differently, had Mya Lylos managed to find her daughter a match in the southern provinces then it was highly likely she be dead by now. Either killed by her master's enforcers or forced to live in one of the many squatter camps that were now scattered about the plains.

The Force had saved her from that fate. It had given Keera Lylos a chance to be more than what she had ever thought possible.

She had become Avaryss, and Avaryss still had a chance to avenge her family.

But was Ro part of that revenge? Was he an enemy or an ally?

She simply did not know.

IOI

The transport was now several kilometers outside of Danna City, moving out across the plains. Despite the martial law and lock down issued by both Darth Sadi and Moff Galek trouble still plagued the various settlements that had heard the rebel's call to arms.

A full Sith legion had been deployed to prevent any further uprising. Sith Walkers now protected the various granaries and spore processing centers that helped drive the Oridanna economy.

Avaryss along with Enforcer Gnar, Warmaster Bleez, Xen, and Ro Wilkes were on their way to investigate two trouble spots that had sprung up in the last hour.

Gnar's young Tukata dozed at their master's feet, from what she had observed the beasts did nothing without their master's order. It was an impressive display to say the least. Avaryss had been surprised that the slim pureblood had managed to master the beasts.

"I served as an enforcer on Korriban for a time, my lord," he informed her, "I protected the reclamation service's people, made sure that they did not get overwhelmed by the local wildlife.

The pureblood cackled.

"I've always had a talent for mastering beasts; I think I prefer them over most people."

Avaryss nodded, she had heard of the Force offering such gifts.

Though she was surprised to find that Gnar was a mere enforcer, surely a pureblood, so strong in the Force should have risen higher in the Sith ranks.

"Were you ever a student on Korriban?" she asked.

"No," he confessed, "I didn't have the temperament for it. I came up through the academy on Fury 2. From there I found myself recruited into the army, served with the marauders for a time."

The admission did not sit well with enforcer; she felt that he was waiting for her to make some snide remark about being trained at one of the Furies. She did not do that.

Avaryss smiled.

"I trained at Fury 9. It may have been a blasted rock, but I learned much there. "

His golden eyes widened slightly.

"You came up from Fury 9?"

"It was not easily," she admitted proudly, "I had to fight twice as hard to earn twice as much prestige, but success is possible. After all…we are both here are we not? None could doubt that accomplishment."

The pure blood nodded, she sensed that his perception of her had changed.

He knows now that I'm not simply some pampered rich girl from Dromund Kaas.

That perception could prove useful.

She still did not know how tight of a control that Darth Sadi had over the enforcers. She needed to determine that as she moved forward. Technically they were under her direct command, but who could say where their loyalties truly lay.

From speaking with Gnar, from probing him with various questions, she had been able to determine two things, number one, both he and twins were more in Sadi's pocket than they were willing to admit, comments that he had made, and several harsh looks at her criticism of the dark lord had confirmed that, and two: that the Twi'lek enforcer known as Chylde was a bit of a wild card.

Sadi chose to keep the girl close, but that did not mean loyalty. According to Gnar, the lord of the Itae system had mentioned several times that she would not be disappointed if the Twi'lek did not return when she was sent out on mission.

Avaryss filed that knowledge for later use.

Could the alien girl be an ally?

She would need to speak with her, not to mention evaluate her performance more before she could be sure.

As for her own team, Avaryss had advised them all to be cautious around Darth Sadi and the enforcers. Bleez maintained the distance that Avaryss had come to expect from the Warmaster while Xen was…well…Xen.

Avaryss watched her apprentice closely

She was still not sure if she trusted Xen and Beric's relationship, despite what she had seen up this point. She also did not fail to notice how the former Jedi was now looking at Ro, evaluating him, perhaps even undressing him with her eyes, trying to draw her old friend's attention.

Avaryss was not pleased with that.

She had warned Xen about moving on from Beric, of getting bored and looking for someone new to play with. Avaryss needed Ro where he was, and she did not wish to have Beric distracted if his girl suddenly started looking at other men and causing problems.

_Plus, it is Ro_, Keera reminded her, _Xen would be wise to keep her hands to herself, at least where Ro was concerned._

Avaryss nodded slightly.

Indeed, she thought.

In this, she and Keera were in agreement.

Ro was off limits.

She would make sure that Xen understood that.

The transport continued to rumble down the road, the pilots in the front alerted Avaryss and company that they were approaching their first destination.

The dark lord nodded.

The rebels had stolen her first attempt to introduce herself to the Oridannan people.

Now, she intended to correct that.

She had spent enough time on the defensive, giving the rebels free shots at her and her holdings.

That ended now.

One step at a time, she thought to herself...

…One step at a time.

IOI

Their first stop had been a small family owned refueling station outside of Danna City. An hour after the rebel broadcast, a small command speeder carrying six Sith Troopers and been ambushed here. As the troopers had been refueling their transport they had come under fire from tall grass across from the station. The speeder had pulled away from the station and swung around to shield the troopers only to have it be destroyed a few moments later by an explosion of unknown origin. The explosion had killed two of the troopers, and the others had responded by hurling grenades into the tall grass, prompting those firing into revealing their position, the troopers had pursued these troublemakers only to be cut down a few seconds later by a secondary ambush, more enemy fighters hidden from view.

Avaryss shook her head, as she examined the bodies lain out on the road.

As ambushes went, this one had not been fairly well planned out.

Gnar was currently searching where the attackers had been hiding, he and his beasts looking for clues. Bleez and Xen remained at her side, while Ro questioned the owner of the station and his family.

Her eyes turned to the refueling station, and the family that maintained it.

Now the question was: if the people that lived here knew about the ambush and if so how could she turn the matter to her advantage?

The owners of the station were currently standing outside of it under guard. The man introduced himself as Ogden Makk, his wife and two sons were at his side. She estimated that the boys were between ten and eleven, and seemed more interested in the soldiers than what had happened here.

The youngest one had even saluted when he saw Bleez, being the good soldier; the Warmaster had returned that salute.

It was kind of cute. Avaryss was pleased that at least some of the next generation held the Empire in their hearts. It gave her hope for what she was trying to accomplish.

Avaryss said nothing as Ro interacted with the man and his family. He called the man by name, and she could sense…familiarity between them.

Strange, she thought, they were a long way from Orid, which is where Ro should have been stationed.

It was odd that he would have a relationship with people so close to the capital.

You are going to have to talk to him and find out, Keera reminded her; you can't use a resource if you don't understand it.

That was true, still…she was hesitant.

It was still Ro, after all.

Finally the station's owner turned his attention to her. He had told the same story over and over since they had arrived, he had known nothing about the ambush, with the winds being what they were this time of year he had heard nothing until the explosions and shooting had begun.

The man clasped his hand before him; she could feel his fear, his concern for his family.

"I swear…we knew nothing of this attack, please have mercy, my lord."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

Those who ask for mercy are not worthy of it, that was the Sith way. Still, a little mercy now might buy her more cooperation later.

Plus, she sensed no duplicity from the man. These families were simple people, they did not care about the games the dark lords played.

"We will need to investigate this matter," she said using her Oridannan accent, which surprised both Ogden and Ro.

She turned to the boys, they were not afraid, in fact they seemed eager to be around the soldiers, wanting to get a closer look at the transport.

She smiled.

She had an idea.

"In the meantime, your sons will be spending the night in the capital. I wish them to understand what we are doing to protect them from the criminals that have done this heinous crime."

Avaryss leaned in closer. She wanted the boys' undivided attention

"Would you like that?" she asked them "Would you like to see what the inside of a military transport looks like?"

She sensed excitement from the children; they looked almost giddy as they accepted her offer. They squealed happily, asking their parents if they could go.

They did not really understand what she was doing. Ro looked aghast, and the parents were clearly afraid.

Avaryss sighed.

They had no reason to be afraid.

"We will see them safely back tomorrow," she promised, "You have my word."

The parents now had no recourse, a Sith had given her word.

They would be wise to accept her offer.

Avaryss turned to Warmaster Bleez.

"Make our young friends comfortable, will you Warmaster?"

Bleez nodded, it was not the usual order that Avaryss gave, but it would be obeyed.

The children pulled away from their parents, both looked horrified, and through the Force she could sense their terror.

"Fear not," Avaryss promised them in a low voice, a voice that the boys would not hear, "You are a family of loyal imperials."

She chuckled.

"Loyal imperials have nothing to fear from me."

The mother and father nodded nervously, they knew better to question a Sith when her mind was made up.

She turned her cape swishing behind her in the winter wind. Ro followed after her, as her troopers, began to return to the transport, preparing to move out. Gnar's beasts had found nothing to aid them in the search for the rebels that did this, but that was fine, for now.

It would not be so easy to set up a similar ambush in the future.

A pair of security droids would be left behind to tend to the dead troopers and make sure that no one interfered with the crime scene. Hissa's people would arrive shortly to clean up what was left.

Avaryss had done what was expected of her, now she returned to her transport, Ro followed closely in her wake.

"Permission to speak, my lord," he whispered to her.

"Granted," she replied, trying to keep a civil tongue.

"Are those boys safe?' he asked, "their parents are…"

"They have nothing to worry about," Avaryss assured him, "I meant what I said, they will be returned unharmed tomorrow, and they will have a few exciting stories to tell their little friends."

"And the parents," Ro asked.

Avaryss smiled beneath her mask.

"I'm sure they got my point. I could have just has easily taken their children forever, conscripted them, executed them…done whatever I wanted, but I won't."

She glanced over at Ro.

"I'm not a monster, lieutenant, despite what the rebels think."

Ro Wilkes nodded.

"You are also from here," he said, for the first time he was not acting, he was not playing the charming boy, or the good little soldier, for the first time, she was talking to Ro Wilkes again.

She found it…gratifying.

"Magistrate Hissa told me, but I did not believe it."

Avaryss shrugged.

"There are many things about me that you would not believe, Lieutenant."

She laughed lightly.

"Be here long enough, you might just get to know all of them."

He laughed, for the first time she felt no fear, only amusement…

…That…and interest?

Avaryss blushed under her helmet.

She had not thought her last comment suggestive, but perhaps it was.

Damn.

IOI

The transport continued on, they had one more stop to make before returning to Danna City.

The two boys, Alif and Rytan were intrigued by everything around them. Avaryss had ordered that the boys be subjected to nothing negative on this journey. She wanted them to return from the capital with nothing but good things to say about their new inquisitor.

A long journey started with a single step, it may have seemed like a small thing, winning the trust of two young boys, but it was necessary

She was not a monster.

She wanted the people to see that.

She asked Bleez to keep an eye on them, make sure that they touched nothing that they were not supposed to. The Warmaster seemed to have no problem playing babysitter; in fact the trooper seemed both eager and proud to share what the Imperial army had to offer a young man.

Bleez is a proud Sith soldier. Avaryss may not have known the whole story, but that was clear.

Bleez owed much to the Empire, and was not afraid to share what the Empire had to give.

Alif, the younger one, was curious about Gnar's tukata, but was advised his distance, the Sith hounds were no mere pets. The beasts would not attack without their master's order, but that did not mean that they were not dangerous if surprised.

The enforcer wisely kept them back.

Their next stop was a granary that had been raided after the rebel broadcast. The troopers stationed there had been driven off by a superior force; the food stuffs stored their burned.

Avaryss was eager to hear the troopers' explanation.

They arrived to find the place a shambles, harvesters destroyed, and the storage barns burnt to the ground.

Avaryss frowned when she saw the war droids that had been stationed here, they lay broken inside their recharge sockets; they had not even been online when the attack began.

She shook her head.

Fools, she thought.

Stupid, irresponsible fools!

The six men trusted to guard this place stood at attention in front of the barracks. According to them, as they had been settling in for the night, the enemy had attacked. A large cargo transport backed up by at least a dozen enemy fighters on speeder bikes. The droids had been taken out first before the troopers had had a chance to respond. The enemy followed up by striking at the buildings with firebombs and grenades.

The troopers had had no choice but to flee, and return with a larger force, or so they claimed.

Avaryss frowned.

She would have made a different call.

The barracks here was a hard reinforced building. The troopers could have fallen back there, held out for an hour or two at least. It would have been long enough for reinforcements to arrive from one of the nearby settlements.

They had not done that however, they had run, and now she had little to go on but wreckage and a destroyed food shipment that was vital to the off world war effort.

She was not pleased.

"I fear that many of our storage facilities are at risk," Ro said speaking quietly enough so that only she could hear.

"Darth Sadi removed all of the Oridanna security volunteers from these sites. She did not trust us, thinking that we might be working with these criminals."

"Is it possible that the rebels have infiltrated your ranks?" she asked.

"Possibly, but I would still say there are more loyal Imperials among the volunteers than rebels. The troops that Lord Sadi is providing are not the best. All the best troopers are deployed on the front lines."

Avaryss nodded, Ro was not wrong in that assessment.

She sighed.

The men had fled without even trying to hold back the enemy tide. The rebels had even had time to erase the computer systems here, the security feeds were blank, no pictures or audio data that would have helped identify the ones who had done this.

She was not happy about that, she was not happy at all.

These men had got caught with their trousers down, and the Empire had paid the price.

She hissed angrily.

She could not just let this slide.

She asked Ro to go back into the transport and contact the magistrate. She intended to use her authority as Inquisitor to get the local security force for their holdings reinstated. After he had left to fulfill her orders she had pulled Xen aside and whispered orders into the girl's ear.

Her apprentice smiled when she heard them, no doubt approving of what was about to happen.

As for the men here, Avaryss ordered them to return to their barracks. She would be sending reinforcements soon, and a crew to repair the damage done, and get things up and running again.

The men did not question her orders, why would they, they likely thought they were getting off light. She had held her temper and not executed any of them.

They thought they were safe.

She was willing to let them believe that…

…for now.

Avaryss ordered her men back to the transport while the failed guards returned to their barracks as ordered.

She said nothing more until they were back on the road, when they were out of ear and eye shot of the destroyed granary.

She called the transport to a halt.

It slid to a stop idly in the middle of the road.

Avaryss smiled.

It was time to finish her business.

"Xen did we have a weapon's test scheduled for today?" she called out.

We did master," her apprentice replied, looking as innocent as she could, "The targets are programed and locked into the weapons console, as you ordered."

Avaryss nodded.

Good.

Ro looked up at her, he could not see her face, but she was smiling.

She had one final point to make.

He would be an excellent witness for what came next

The transport pulled off the road as its weapons systems came online; the trooper at the weapon's console gave up his seat to the dark lord.

She wanted to make sure that everything was in readiness.

"We should test the onboard missile system," she said.

Her attention turned to their two young guests.

She grinned.

"Alif, Rytan," she called out, "I'm about to blow up some targets with the long range weapons system."

She smirked beneath her mask.

"Would you like to do the honors?"

The boys squealed and leapt forward; Avaryss rose from her seat and motioned them forward. The older boy took the chair while his brother stood behind him, he whined a bit about that, but Avaryss assured him that he would be able to have a turn.

They would both get to fire the weapons, she promised.

There were enough targets for all.

She showed the boys how to bring up the preprogramed targets, how to lock weapons and to fire. The first two targets were easy, wrecked equipment left over from when Darth Feer took over five years ago.

The third target was a barracks at a now damaged granary.

Ro looked over her shoulder as the boys set up the next shot, talking excitedly, and eager to tell their friends about this.

Ro gave her a look, to which she shrugged.

She had wanted to give the boys a fun story, but at the same time her duty compelled her to punish those who failed her.

She was do both with a single shot.

Alif, now sitting at firing control laughed as the computer gave a steady tone declaring target lock.

"Fire," Avaryss ordered in her sweetest voice.

The boy pressed the button.

The missile flew from the launcher above them. The transport shook as it went.

A few moments later, the barracks exploded. The high yield missile struck tearing through the reinforced armor.

For those inside, there had been no escape.

The boys cheered.

Behind them, Avaryss sensed the emotions of her own troopers, it had taken them a bit but they had just realized what it was she had been doing. What the so called weapon's test really was.

She sensed a tide of conflicting emotions.

She felt acceptance for the killing of the cowardly troopers, shock at how it was done, anger at the fact that she had let the boys do it for her.

Xen grinned hungrily, enjoying the little game they had set up.

Avaryss smiled.

The boys remained oblivious to what they had just done, they had been occupied aboard the transport when it had stopped at the granary; they had not even seen the place, so how would they have recognized it?

No, they had done their duty to the Empire, and their Inquisitor.

Avaryss was most pleased.

Ro swallowed hard as he looked down at the deck. He glanced up at her, realizing for the first time how…complicated she was.

She was not a monster, no, but that did not mean that she went light on enemies and those who failed the empire.

She understood what the empire asked of her.

She would not let it down.

"I got it," Alif crowed, "I hit it!"

"Nice one, Alif," his brother said patting him on the shoulder.

"Good job, brother."

Avaryss laughed lightly, the sound mostly muffled by her mask.

"Indeed young one," she said nodding respectfully.

"Well struck."


	18. The Mystery

**Chapter 18: The Mystery**

Another restless night…

…Avaryss sat at a small table in her chambers in the government tower of Danna City. In her lap sat a data pad, its prompt blinking on and off, awaiting her next order.

The young Dark Lord frowned.

As a Darth she had access to most of the data stored in the Imperial Information network. Only a member of the dark council or one of the Emperor's staff could deny her anything stored here.

Knowledge is power, that old adage was true. It was even more true in the realm of politics where the entire galaxy seemed to rotate on secrets.

Right now, she sought to make sure that she was on the right track, that her allies had not steered her false.

She had started her search about an hour after returning from her journey out on the plains. Once she had made sure her two young guests were taken care of, Avaryss had retired to her quarters. She let Gnar handle things with Darth Sadi, she let him explain what had happened and the steps she had taken to establish her dominance over the people of Oridanna.

She had expected some response, perhaps a summons by the Lord of the Itae system, but, surprisingly, no summons had come, what that might mean, she could not say yet.

Maybe…Sadi approved of her actions today, maybe she felt that Avaryss was on the right track.

Whether she approved or not did not concern Avaryss, she had made the first move.

Now she would see how the other Darth responded.

She had concluded her evening by logging on to the Imperial information network. She had spent the next few hours going over the histories of the people that now led Oridanna. Both Moff Galek and Darth Sadi clearly had her master's ear.

She was curious to see just how they had gotten there.

The historical records were fairly straight forward on both, important dates in the lives of the two, their many commendations and victories. As she read, she recognized that what she was reading was not fully the truth, but…it did offer her some insight into what she would likely face later on.

As she read through the various reports, there was one name she was trying to ignore, one person that she was trying not to think about.

Magistrate Hissa had insisted that Ro Wilkes was the man she needed to help her advance her agenda here on Oridanna.

She was not sure she bought that; still…she could not deny it.

Ro Wilkes was not what he had been.

She tried to ignore it, just go to bed and forget about Ro. He was a tool to be used now, nothing more. Yet, when she closed her eyes, her mother's voice was waiting for her, imploring her to go home, that she was needed, and had to go home...

She was not sure how long she had tossed and turned how many times she had been woken by her mother's command; finally, she could not take it anymore. She got up, and now here she was back at work with her data pad in her lap.

The computer was still awaiting her next command.

All she had to do was enter Ro's name and what she sought would be at her fingertips.

She would know just what kind of a man he had become, and if he was everything that Hissa had promised.

She had seen a hint of that back at the fueling station, but now she desired something more concrete. She desired definitive proof that the young lieutenant was everything that Hissa said he was.

_Is that the only reason you are interested in him?"_ Keera asked.

"Of course," Avaryss shrugged, "Why else would I be?"

Somewhere, deep inside her, Keera laughed.

"_I think you are deluding yourself, Avy. There is more to it and you know it."_

Avaryss sniffed.

What did Keera know?

"_His room is just a level or two below yours,"_ Keera reminded her, _"How do you think he would react if he saw you again, if he saw beneath the mask and saw the woman that you had become? What would you say to him, what would he say back? Would he be happy? Would he throw his arms around you, pick you up, and spin you around like the old friend you were, or…"_

Keera laughed, Avaryss could imagine the sly smirk on her face.

"_Maybe he would want __**more**__, and maybe, just maybe, you would __**enjoy**__ giving it to him."_

Avaryss hissed.

"Silence," she spat.

"_Why? Did I say something bad? Are you honestly going to say that the thought does not intrigue you, just a little?"_

Avaryss' eyes narrowed in anger.

"Shut. Your. Mouth."

Her mind immediately went to several years ago, right after they had finished the harvest. Ro had borrowed a bottle of wine from his father's stores. The two of them had gone off together; they had had a picnic on the plains.

It had been…nice.

They had both drunk too much, either that or the wine had been too strong and they were simply not used to it. Anyway, the two of them had found themselves lying on a blanket under the warm Oridanna sun, giggling over one thing or another. Keera's head had been spinning slightly, but still she remembered what had happened next clearly.

She had looked up at her childhood friend and saw something…different there, something that almost took her breath away.

Had she been a little older, things might have gone…more swiftly then.

Ro had also looked at her with new eyes, eyes that had made her blush. Despite the warmth of the sun she had felt cold, and so Ro had pulled her to him, wrapping her in those strong arms of his. The two had ended up snuggling together wrapped tightly within a blanket. She had been…nervous at first, but only at first, the warmth of his body, the smell of wine and sweat, they had soothed her.

Ro had leaned down and kissed her forehead. Promising that he would always be there for her, that he would take care of her, looking back Avaryss preferred to think of that as her first kiss, her true one had been stolen by a Hutt spawn named Bryden during the early months of her Sith training.

She far preferred this memory to that one.

Even now she could remember how it felt, his arms, the feel of hard corded muscle, soft and warm under her fingertips.

Even now that memory made her body warm, her breathing and heart rate picked up.

They had done nothing that day, perhaps they had been too intoxicated, or maybe they had simply been too innocent?

Whatever the reason, they did nothing, just slept in each other's arms, but in doing so, they had planted a seed.

After all these years, Avaryss now wondered what would happen if she chose to revisit what they had started that day.

What it would mean if they did.

Keera had her own opinions on that, of course, it was rare that Keera was without an opinion.

"It had been too long," Keera said, "Far too long…"

Avaryss did not need to ask what it was. She knew.

It had become an itch of sort, an itch that had grown over the last few months.

"Maybe the time has come to scratch that itch again."

Avaryss sneered at that.

Did Keera truly understand what she was saying?

The very idea of it made her shake her head.

"And what about Fenn?" she asked, "Have you forgotten him?"

"Not at all," Keera replied innocently, "But Fenn is not here, is he? I'm not saying that we should marry Ro or anything, only that he could be…fun."

She could imagine Keera shaking her head.

"It has been two years, almost three. Don't you think it is time that we found…some release?"

Avaryss sighed.

It had been a while.

Fehl, her first love had died almost five years ago. She might have cherished her memories of him had Darth Terrog not tainted them. After Fehl, she had found a young Sith warrior named Urtel, a friend of Taya's husband Fimm. They had been…"Comfort partners" for a time, neither of them had been looking for a real relationship, just a bit of companionship, a means to slake their lust every now and again.

Thinking of Urtel made her sigh.

He had died on Alderaan a few months back, killed aiding House Thul, an ally of the Sith.

Even before that, it had been a while, Urtel's work had kept him away from Dromund Kaas, and she had been busy trying to be the hero that the Empire had needed.

Now…here she was back on Oridanna, Ro was staying here in the tower, his room not that far away.

She took a shuddering breath.

_Desire before duty, young Sith._

She _**could**_ do it, she could just go down to his room, take off her helmet and explain everything. If he was still the Ro she remembered he would…

She paused.

He would…_**what?**_

She had no answer to that question, not yet.

That is why she was currently logging into the Sith data pad, the records the empire kept on officials and their families.

If she wanted to make sure before she began anything, before she did something that might be stupid.

It was here that she would find the answers she sought.

She entered Ro's name.

His file came up seconds later.

Avaryss carefully read it, her eyes moving over the script.

Interesting, she thought…

…And most unexpected.

Most of it was basic information: Wilkes, Roan: twenty-one years of age (standard): Lieutenant in the Oridannan security volunteers

Avaryss looked at the picture the file contained, his eyes…they…looks so sad.

He does look good though, Keera added, and ooh, look Avy, he never married.

Avaryss hissed, wishing that the stupid farm girl would be silent.

She did not need distractions right now.

She was trying to think.

According to this file, Golan Wilkes, Ro's father and overseer for Orid and the surrounding settlements was dead; he had died a few months after she had left to begin her training. There was no record of how he died, but the suddenness of it shocked her.

He had been elevated by Darth Feer, she thought, for him to have died so quickly…?

Had he failed in some way, had her master's servants executed him, or had he been killed in some other fashion?

The file did not say.

As for the rest of Ro's family, there was even less information, the file listed his mother brothers, and sisters, as off world, location unknown. Unusual for the Sith and their imperial allies, normally they preferred to keep detailed and up to date records.

Something else you can ask Ro about when you finally let down your guard and speak with him honestly, Keera advised.

From what she was reading here, it did not sound like the rise of the Wilkes family had gone off as well as they had hoped for, or rather what Golan Wilkes had hoped for.

In his absence, his son had stayed, and not only that, he had thrived; she saw records of multiple commendations here, awards for both courage and valor in carrying out his duties.

Avaryss was impressed.

She read through the cases that her old friend had had a hand in solving, one stood out above all others.

She pursed her lips.

According to this, Ro Wilkes had aided in bringing to justice the brigands who had murdered Andur Lylos and his family.

Well, she thought with an amused sniff.

Wasn't that interesting?

As far as she knew, she had killed all the Sith troopers that had carried out her family's execution. She had not realized that any criminals had been chosen to serve as scapegoats. Which, apparently they had.

She shook her head.

According to the record of the investigation, Ro had killed the ring leader himself. It must have been a most impressive fight to be sure?

Yet, another thing she would have to ask Ro about.

Seeing the file on her family, she could not resist temptation. She was curious what was said about her father after his untimely end.

How did the Sith look at him now.

She called up her father's file, his service record, and history. Once again she saw the long list of citations for bravery and service. The edicts he had enacted as overseer, often with Ro's father at his side. The fact that this still made it look like the two men remained friendly all their lives were a bit annoying to her.

No record of Golan Wilkes selling her father out, no admission of what had truly happened to the Lylos family.

Avaryss sighed.

She should not have been surprised.

The image of her father stared back at her from the data pad; looking at him now…it was not easy.

Despite the fact that Ric looked so much like him, she had to admit that as the years had gone by it had gotten harder and harder to remember her father's face, the sound of his voice…it was all slipping away.

You do not need him anymore, the darkness whispered, you have the dark side.

That is all you will ever need.

She frowned.

She was not sure that was true.

Her eyes went to her father's personal file, the history of his life outside of his duty, the records of his family.

She found herself looking at the name Keera Lylos, her date of birth, even the age that she had died.

Avaryss chuckled at that.

Someone had told her once, long ago, that she needed to let Keera die, that it was the only way to achieve her desires, to let the dark side change her to such a degree that her past no longer mattered.

She had believed that…for a time, but now…Keera was back.

It called into question everything that she had done.

It wasn't I that gave me the strength to come back; Keera reminded her that was all you Avy. You chose to be me again, and that was all that I needed to find my way back into the light.

She thought she could hear Keera laughing.

And you consider me the weak one.

Avaryss did not respond to that, she would not be baited, not by Keera, not anyone.

She brought up Keera's file, read it; she was not surprised that the file contained no picture. She suspected Darth Feer's hand in that particular oversight. Darth Avaryss was a fairly well-known Sith.

No one would wish to see her power undercut by the fact that she had once been a simple farm girl from Oridanna.

One by one she brought up the files on the rest of her family. Anj, her baby sister had the shortest file, she had been so young when she died. Pamir and Talitha's files contained academic scores, and several educational activities they had been involved with.

Once again, the Sith need to know and document surprised her.

She has thought such things as her sisters' schooling was beneath the notice of those in power.

She had, apparently been wrong.

She closed her sisters' files, only her mother's file remained.

The dark lord frowned again.

It was her mother's voice that continued to haunt her. Did she dare to look into her mother's eyes again, to see her image? Would her history give her any clue of what it was that she wanted, why her eldest daughter had needed to come home?

Even now, when she closed her eyes, Avaryss could hear the faint strains of the old lullaby the words that had haunted her for years now.

She brought up her mother's file; she entered her pass code and requested all information on Mya Lylos.

She waited as the computer continued its search, she waited patiently.

Her data pad beeped.

There was no file to be found.

Hearing that made Avaryss blink.

What?

What do you mean there is no file?

She backed out, and entered the command again, once again typing her mother's name, and again…she got the same result.

No file found, her mother had no file in the Imperial directory.

Avaryss was not sure what to make of that.

She went back to her father's file again, his family list. She found her mother's name listed as Andur Lylos' spouse. She even learned her mother's maiden name. She had been born Mya Moritza.

Avaryss entered the name Mya Moritza into the data pad, it whirred again as it began to search for all relevant files.

The dark lord shook her head.

What was going on?

Mya Lylos had been a simple woman. She had been the wife of a farmer, a farmer who then became a soldier, and later an overseer.

How could such a simple woman be forgotten, and why?

_Is she forgotten_, the darkness within her asked_, or was she erased._

Avaryss pursed her lips.

_Why would someone need to erase her mother?_

_It did not make sense._

The computer beeped, the data pad had managed to download a file on Mya Moritza

Reading that file, it left Avaryss more confused than before.

According to what she was seeing here, Mya Moritza had first arrived on Oridanna twenty five year ago. She arrived just before the war to defeat the Republic had begun. That was all the information that the Imperial Information network had on her.

There was no listing of what ship she arrived on.

There was no planet of birth listed for the young woman.

And most interesting of all the only record of ever having been on Oridanna was her proof of marriage to one Andur Lylos.

No other information was included, not even a record of the birth of her children.

Avaryss did not know what to make of that.

It was as if someone was trying to erase her mother from existence.

Why? She wondered.

Who would want to do that?

She once again tried to bring up Mya Lylos' file, this time using a link to Moritza.

The screen on her data pad changed, she blinked as the pad issued a loud, yet high pitched tone.

The screen turned blood red, with the Imperial symbol in the middle of it. Text scrolled beneath the symbol.

Avaryss shook her head.

What had she stumbled onto this time?

The message informed her that all data related to the topic she was trying to answer had been declared classified. Any further attempt to access these files would be met with serious reprisals.

Avaryss tried to enter in her security override, as a Darth she had one, it should have worked anywhere in the Empire. It should have brought up any and all possible files on Mya Moritza and My Lylos

It did not work that day, however.

Again she was confronted with failure. Only this time, the file contained a warning anyone caught disregarding it would be taken before the Grand Magistrate had punished for her high treason and espionage.

_Why_, Avaryss wondered.

_What was so important about her mother?_

_Why was her history being blocked?_

Avaryss shook her head.

As a Darth she had security clearance, that clearance could only be revoked if someone believed that she had turned against the Empire, but that made no sense.

The only two offices that could block her request were the Dark Council, and the Emperor's staff.

She did not recognize the code that was used to classify her mother's file.

It made no sense, she thought shaking her head.

For once Keera was silent, she said nothing about Ro and how…useful he could be to them.

The dark lord scowled.

It seemed like she had stumbled upon a mystery, one that had nothing to do with the rebellion.

She sighed.

Who was Mya Lylos, and why was her history above even a Darth's attention.

What were you doing, Mom," Keera finally asked, "Why would the records of your arrival need to be classified.

She could not say.

Avaryss nodded grimly.

She would find out, if she was certain of anything that was it.

She would find out.

She was a Dark Lord of the Sith.

She could not be stopped.

She would not be denied.


	19. Clearance

**Chapter 19: Clearance**

"You are certain of this?"

Avaryss looked at Hissa; the man stood at attention while she read the report he had presented her with. She had been meditating in her quarters when he came to her with this report. Though her body was tired, the Force had made sure that her mind was sharp, and her temper equally so.

She had scowled when the magistrate had come, insisting that she look at this report.

_I do hope that you are not wasting my time, magistrate_, she had thought.

She was in no mood to be bothered by something trivial.

As it turned out, it wasn't.

"It is certain, my lord," he assured her, he looked nervous; he could probably detect the warning in her voice. "I double checked the information myself."

Avaryss nodded.

Very well, she thought.

The report the magistrate had brought her was in regards to the granary attack she had investigated. Though she had executed the soldiers for their incompetence, it was clear that something else was going on here.

She sighed.

It seemed that nothing was as it seemed on her homeworld.

The rebels had destroyed the computer system that monitored the granary and its systems, but before the attack, the computer had flagged event that it considered…_unusual,_ that report had been broadcast back to Danna City, and it had only now come to light.

"The droids were in their recharging sockets, as I discovered," Avaryss said thoughtfully, "but even then they should have activated remotely at the first sign of trouble."

"That is true, my lord," Hissa nodded, "It is a standard security function on all war droids, defense against surprise attack."

"But they didn't activate, did they?" she said shaking her head and holding up the data pad Hissa had given her.

"According to this, someone sent an all-clear command to the droids before the attack, an order saying that they were not needed."

Avaryss sighed.

"The rebels have our command codes."

Hissa pursed his lips in distaste.

"They have command codes, my lord, _**not**_ necessarily ours."

She pinned the Imperial with a cold look.

"Explain?"

"According to the computer, the commands issued to the droids were not the ones that Oridanna security is currently using, they are _older_ codes, **far** older than I would have expected."

"Then why did the droids not activate? Out of date codes should have been flagged and ignored."

"Because the codes contained an executive cypher," he informed her, "As I said these codes are not currently used by Oridanna security, but they are viable because of whom they belong to, who they were created for."

Avaryss nodded, she understood now what the man was saying.

The codes used to deactivate the granary's security were not Oridannan or Imperial.

They were _**Sith **_codes. They were codes used by the Dark Lords.

The realization did not surprise her.

_I should have known, with everything happening in the galaxy right now, it was obvious._

There was a dark lord involved in this rebellion.

_So much for unity in times of war_, she thought morosely.

Was this some rival of her master's making a power grab? Was it Darth Sadi? Was the dark lord looking to step up by embarrassing Lord Feer? Was she trying to make him look unable to defend his holdings?

Too many possible enemies, she thought...

…Far too many questions.

"Can we identify whose command codes these are," she asked the magistrate.

"Could we find out which lord had access to them?"

"Unlikely, my lord," Hissa confessed, "As a mere Imperial official, my reach is limited when it comes to the Sith Order."

Avaryss nodded, of course it was.

The Sith could not have their Imperials interfering in their power games could they?

She shook her head.

Damn, she thought.

It was another dead end.

She could poke around herself, of course, but that might not end well, if Sadi _**was**_ involved, any channel that Avaryss could use to learn about these codes was likely being watched.

"Can you tell me, anything else about these codes? Do standard procedures reveal anything else?"

"As I said, the codes are old, they should have been considered out of date."

"How far out of date?" she inquired.

Hissa shrugged.

"Two decades at least."

His words shocked her.

_**Two decades?!**_

_**And the codes were still accepted?!**_

"As I also said, they contained the Sith executive cypher. Though odd, it is not impossible for a Sith that had been gone for a long time to return to the Empire, and start accessing Imperial resources. Back before we revealed ourselves to the Republic, it was quite common for dark lords to be out of contact for years, moving silently was one of our best security measures."

Avaryss nodded.

She could see that, as the Empire had expanded into what the Republic called the unknown regions, Sith had been known to go out of contact for years, not wishing to risk being discovered by the Republic and Jedi, still…two decades.

What Sith would have dared being gone that long?

"We should deactivate these codes," she said, "If the rebels have access to them we can deny them this…advantage, force them to function with limited resources."

'It would be wiser for us to do nothing at this time, my lord," Hissa advised, "Right now, we know that the rebels have access to our systems by using these codes, if we were to simply cancel them, we lose a valuable opportunity. Rather than cancel the codes, we should watch them, see if they are used again and by whom. It could give us an idea where the rebels intend to strike next or…"

Avaryss smiled.

"Or it might reveal who gave the rebels such access, if it was a dark lord, they may try to use it themselves, and if they do, we will have evidence of their link to the rebellion. We could crush them all in one swift stroke."

"It is a possibility," Hissa said with a hint of a smile, "Do I have your approval, my lord? Shall we let the rebels continue to use the codes?"

She nodded.

It was a subtle, plan, she liked it, and if Hissa could identify any dark lords conspiring with the rebels, that could be useful too.

If she knew who was behind all this, she could use that knowledge as leverage; she could bring it before the dark council, or at the very least threaten to bring it before the council. If she could kill any Sith support for the rebel cause; it would go a long way to containing and resolving this rather tense situation.

Yes, she thought.

We will be patient.

We shall lay in wait, and let our enemies reveal themselves.

"Continue your observations, magistrate," she ordered Hissa, "Either find me the rebellion, or the Sith Lord aiding it. Do so, and I will see you greatly rewarded."

"It will be done, my lord," he promised a hint of a sly smile on his lips, "I will bring you these rebels' heads on a plate."

Hissa left her then, eager to continue his investigation, she hated to admit it, but the man was beginning to prove most useful.

Perhaps her father had been wrong about him all those years ago.

Perhaps the man was not the fool that Andur Lylos feared he was.

She sent the Magistrate on his way, he was to watch and see if the command codes they had discovered were used again. In the meantime, Avaryss still had work to do.

The sun was barely up when her brother came to join her; she had sent him a summons the night before, or rather a request to dine with her this morning. Despite his relationship with Xen, knowing her apprentice's appetites, Ric seemed…well rested.

Avaryss frowned.

If only she could say the same.

She felt weary, more than weary. The Force sustained her, but it was only a matter of time until its power proved unable to hold back the ravages of her dreams and nightmares.

I will need to find a solution, she realized, and soon.

She did not think she could go on like this.

Yet for now, she had to, she had a rebellion to defeat, and a world to bring back to order.

She would not stop until both had been accomplished.

"Tell me what you have learned of the Pho ambassador," she ordered, "What is his take on the current situation with the rebellion."

"I tried again to meet with him, he saw me, briefly," Beric said, "He is still not sure of your intentions. He came to Oridanna to assure Darth Feer that his people would continue to honor the pact that they had made with the Empire years ago, but he has already heard rumors about an increase in the quotas for his world. He is worried that the rebels will find allies among his people if those new quotas go into effect and that the Empire will respond by crushing his people."

Avaryss nodded.

Viable fears, she acknowledged.

Feer was not the type of man to accept no for an answer, if he felt that the quotas needed to be increased, they would be, that was simply the way it was.

She shook her head.

_You will need to go to Pholis_, _Avy,_ Keera said, _the seal men must see you as an ally, someone who will look out for their interests as citizens of the Empire._

She had never been to Pholis, had only read a little about what it was like in her early schooling.

It would not be easy to put the people of that world at ease.

"I will speak with the ambassador myself," she told her brother, "Perhaps it is time that I arranged a visit to Pholis. It might be in our favor to remind the people that their new Inquisitor is both there to help, and watching them.

Beric shrugged.

"It couldn't hurt," he agreed, "Provided you showed the people there that you are not simply your master's mouthpiece, or errand girl."

Avaryss gave him an arched look.

"Do you see me as an errand girl, Ric?"

"I see you as your master's apprentice," he replied diplomatically, "His commands have influenced your judgment in the past."

She frowned, but said nothing more.

He was right, in that at least.

"Is there anything else that I need to know?"

Her brother frowned.

"Les Moor approached Xen, yesterday evening. He wanted her to know that should we need anything she should seek him out."

Avaryss sighed.

Unsurprising.

_And so it begins_, she thought.

She wondered which of her master's pawns would make the first move. As Avaryss' apprentice, a former Jedi that had betrayed her oath, Xen might have seemed the vulnerable link in the young Darth's entourage.

What would he offer her, Avaryss wondered? It probably depended on who he was speaking for. Darth Feer had almost unlimited resources. He had never really showed an interest in turning Xen against her, but that might have changed now that she was here and he was back In a the seat of power on Dromund Kaas.

If it wasn't her, master, if it was Darth Sadi; that would be different.

She had warned her people about the…charisma of the Lord of the Itae system. Even she had almost fallen prey to it, she would not let her people fall into such a trap.

"Be mindful, and careful around her, know that she is perfectly capable of changing your minds if you let yourselves get caught up in her words."

She could only hope that they would listen.

It was as she had said when they first arrived.

They were surrounded by enemies here.

For a bit, the brother and sister ate in silence, there was one last thing she was curious about; she would not mind his opinion on it.

"Did mother ever talk about her history," she asked, "Did she ever…talk about her family. Where she had come from?"

He gave her a curious look.

"We were her family," he reminded her, "That is what she always said. Why do you ask?"

Avaryss sighed.

She had hoped for more.

Ric was the eldest; mother had married father right before he had gone off to war. Beric had been born nine months later.

She had hoped that he might remember something. That she might have shared something with him before her father's improving fortunes had shaped her life, before her other children had come and become so important to her.

"What do you remember about her?" she asked, "Your earliest memories."

Her brother shrugged.

"Not much, little things about my childhood, her smile, her lullaby."

Avaryss frowned.

She did not need to hear about that damned lullaby.

She heard it almost every night now; it had ceased to be comforting.

"Why so curious?" he asked.

"Because during the course of my work I found myself looking up mother's history, imagine my surprise dear brother when I discovered that she has none. No real record of her life here exists, with the exception of her proof of marriage to father."

Beric paused, a biscuit half way to his mouth.

"No record at all?"

"None," she said shaking her head, "None that I could access anyway."

"But you are a Darth," he reminded her, "How could anyone deny you access to anything?"

"I'm a young Darth, and my authority is not limitless, not yet."

She frowned.

"Only two bodies in the Sith Empire can deny a Darth access to anything, members of the Dark Council, or the Office of the Emperor."

That got her brother's attention; he gave her an incredulous look.

"Why would someone in the Emperor's office want to hide mother's history? She was a farmer's wife, what would be the point?"

"That is what I'm trying to determine," she shrugged.

She found it interesting that her brother's first thoughts went to the Emperor. Avaryss had suspected Dark Council involvement, but what would be the point?

She considered what Beric had said.

Why would someone in the Emperor's office care about mother?"

"I will continue to look into this," she promised, "Perhaps I shall make a journey to Orid; take a look at the hard files they have stored there."

He nodded.

"Mother was always busy with us, but she still attended gatherings at father's side. She still did business with people. One of them has to know something."

"My thoughts exactly, and with Ro Wilkes at my side, things should go swifter, he is known there, and his presence will likely open many doors."

Her brother smirked at her.

"You and Ro Wilkes, huh? the two of you working together?"

She was not sure why, but she blushed slightly.

"Hissa claims that his contacts here will be useful. He knows better than to lie to me."

"And is that the only reason you are willing to work with him? Not trying to rekindle and old flame?"

Now she did blush.

"It was never like that with us."

"Mother worried that it was," he reminded her, "I remember that she always wanted you to marry up."

"Ro is beneath me now. I'm a Darth of the Sith Empire, how would it look if I was observed…fraternizing with him."

_He is beneath you_, Keera chuckled, _what an interesting turn of phrase._

Avaryss ignored her, but she could not stop the color in her cheeks.

Damn it, she thought.

This is why I wear the mask in public!

"Ro Wilkes is nothing but a tool, dear brother, I can promise you that."

"Okay," he shrugged, "Just remember what you told me, what the Wilkes did to our family. Don't let your old boyfriend sway your judgment.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"He is not my…"

She rolled her eyes, and stood up. She was angry at him, though she was not sure why.

"You have little room to talk about my past dalliances. I have warned you about Xen, please do not forget who and what she is."

If he took offense he did not show it.

He merely smiled.

"We love who we love, sister. I understand that better than most."

She frowned, remembering what Xen had said to her, about not believing in love.

She feared that her brother was in for a rude awakening down the line.

She would do what she could to protect him.

After their meal he left to see to his duties. He would make the request of a visit to Pholis to Lob Vekk; hopefully the Seal Man would see the wisdom in accepting her request.

She sighed.

In the meantime, she intended to go to Orid, not just to see what files there said about mother, but also to remind the local population that the Inquisitor was here, and at their service.

She had laid the first stone with the deal with the two boys; in fact, she would return them herself on her way to Orid. She would show the people that she was true to her word, and that she was more than her master's blade.

She went to fresher; she would have a quick shower, and get dressed.

It was still early, but that was fine.

She had much to do today.

She preferred an early start.

IOI

Twenty minutes later, she was going down the hall clad in her mask and full Sith robes. When she first set foot in Orid it would be as a Sith Inquisitor, she had to have the people's attention and fear from the start, but then she could begin injecting her sense of patriotism, and desire for the restoration of order.

Her people would respond to that, as they had before.

The Republic offered only the chaos of the illusion of democracy with the Jedi enforcing that will as long as it led them to greater power. The Sith were at least honest about their desires.

A Sith wanted control, and through that control, order was established.

What more could people want? Order ensured that they got to live their lives without worry, they could be confident that their leaders were in control.

Was that not better than the chaos and corruption that the Republic offered?

Avaryss made her way to Ro's quarters. She was eager to get started, so eager that she simply entered without knocking.

"Lieutenant Wilkes," she called out, "We need to…"

She froze mid-step, her words caught in her throat.

Um, she thought, her mind trying to get running again.

I…um…

Oh my.

Ro Wilkes was not yet awake when she entered, he had fallen asleep on the small couch in the main area of his quarters, and a data pad lay on the floor next to him. He lay on his back, with his right arm over his eyes, but that was not what had stopped her in her tracks.

There was barely any light coming through the windows, but what she saw intrigued her.

Ro had taken off his shirt during the night, the sight that now greeted her was…interesting to say the least. Strong muscular arms a flat muscular stomach that rose and fell slowly with each breath. The slight dusting of hair across his chest taking nothing away from the physical perfection she saw lay out before her.

Beneath her helmet, she blushed scarlet, her mouth went dry, and a sense of warms began building in her gut and working its way down quickly.

She shuddered.

_Mmmm,_ Keera murmured happily, enjoying the view, _isn't this a sight for sore eyes, huh Avy?_

"I want one."

Ro startled slightly and sat up.

"My lord," he said in a groggy voice looking around quickly.

"Can…can I help you?"

She was speechless for a moment; the spell that she had walked into robbed her of all speech.

She shook her head. It was all she could do to try and regain her composure.

She cursed herself silently.

He had heard Keera, she realized, the stupid farm girl had spoken out loud!

Damn!

She straightened her robes and tried to regain her composure.

"I…Um…I will be journeying into Orid today," she informed him, "I wish you to accompany me when I journey into Orid today."

He looked up at her, his expression still cloudy with sleep.

Again she cursed under her breath.

Journey into Orid today, I wish you to accompany me when I journey into Orid today.

Had she actually said that?

Was she actually so tongue tied?!

Ro did not call her on it; he simply nodded, rose and stretched.

"As you wish, my lord," he said yawning, "I'm here to serve."

_And what kind of services do you think he offers?_ Keera purred.

_It might be fun to find out._

Avaryss ignored her, or tried to at least.

She continued to keep her eyes diverted, trying not to be distracted by the handsome man standing before her, searching for where he had put down his shirt.

What is wrong with me, she wondered.

It hasn't been that long has it.

Almost three years, Keera reminded her.

Avaryss shook her head.

Damn.

Ro finally found his shirt and pulled it over his head, she felt the slight bite of disappointment, but hid it quickly.

She was not some ill-educated peasant girl or an innocent hopeful anymore.

She was a Dark Lord of the Sith.

She needed to start acting like one.

"What is your business in Orid?' he asked.

"A lord's business," she replied, not wishing to be questioned by him, "I've also been told that you can help me in interacting with the village's leaders."

"Is that so," he asked.

"It is…that is what Hissa told me."

Ro chuckled.

"The Magistrate has a gift for understatement. I've spent the last three years getting to know every overseer, mayor, and peacekeeper from Orid to Worro."

He looked up and gave her a warm smile.

"You want a proper introduction to those that lead our people; I'm your best shot."

"Impressive," she said, hoping that he was not simply telling her what she wanted to hear."

Ro gave her that confident smirk she remembered so well from her childhood.

"I know many ways to impress you Inquisitor," he said warmly.

"All you have to do is give me a chance."

Her eyes narrowed.

Was he flirting with her?

Surprising considering that he could not even see her face.

Still, she could not deny that she was responding to his attention.

Her body warmed under his regard, a flicker of lust flashed through her.

"I shall get ready," he promised, "Need to take a shower; we can be ready to go in an hour.

She pursed her lips.

_He is going to take a shower,_ Keera purred.

_Do you think he would like some company?_

Again Avaryss tried to ignore her, but she could not completely stop the shuddering breath that escaped from her mask.

Damn it, she thought.

She did not doubt that Ro was enjoying this; it seemed he had learned how to play with a woman in the last few years.

She suppressed a shiver.

Lucky her.

"See…see that you are," she said, trying to keep any trace of huskiness out of her voice, "We leave in one hour."

She turned to go, to retreat and regain her composure.

He stopped her with a single phrase.

"Why do you always wear that thing?"

She paused.

"By that thing, you mean my mask?"

"Yeah, why do you wear it? You are around your allies here, you know."

Avaryss turned to him, in this she was at least in safer territory.

"In the Empire, and ally can become an enemy very quickly," she reminded him, "Dropping my guard around anyone is not the smartest of moves, at least until I know who my friends are."

He nodded. She sensed that he understood what she was saying, perhaps better than he was willing to admit.

She…she found herself feeling a bit sorry for him.

Poor boy, Keera murmured.

Maybe we can help heal his poor heart.

Avaryss hissed, despite her best efforts, she had let Ro get to her, just as she had done when they were children.

Damn the man, she thought.

Damn him straight to hell!

She…she had not wanted it to be this way.

It would have been safer if she hated him.

"One hour, lieutenant," she said flatly before fleeing his presence.

Avaryss made her way down the hall quickly, not even waiting for the door to close behind her.

She did not look back, she did not even dare.

I should send him away, she thought, there is too much history between us, to many old wounds.

_You still need him_, Keera reminded her.

Yes, but…

But…

She frowned, and tried to think of Fenn.

He was her destiny, not Ro.

_That does not mean that you cannot have a bit of fun in the meantime,_ Keera advised her.

_Fenn is not here, and Ro is, Fenn would not wish you to suffer in silence while he is off doing who knows what for his precious Republic. If that is not clearance to enjoy yourself a little, I don't know what is._

Avaryss could almost see Keera's face; she was smiling slyly at her other self.

_Give Ro, a chance; he might be just what you need to find a good night's sleep. After all, when you were with Fehl you never worried about finding rest. Urtel was nice for that too._

Avaryss brow furrowed.

I don't see how taking Ro for a roll in the long grass is going to help anything?

Keera laughed again.

I didn't think you were interested in that?

Avaryss cursed under her breath again.

Damn it.


	20. Lieutenant Wilkes

**Chapter 20: Lieutenant Wilkes**

"My father was chief peace keeper for almost five years. He spent a lot of time getting to know all the right people, and often I was at his side."

Ro chuckled.

"He didn't realize it, but he was preparing me for all this," the young lieutenant shook his head.

"I suppose I should be grateful for that."

Avaryss nodded.

Though she already knew most of this story, having grown up around Ro she had heard an abbreviated version many times, usually in the form of complaints from the boy that would become the man sitting next to her. Some people might have found her deception as cruel, but it wasn't, she was not motivated entirely by a desire to hurt her former friend.

It was necessary to hear it from Ro himself, both to hide who she was, and to get an idea of what was going on in his head, how he saw himself in this new Oridanna.

She needed to see if he belonged to anyone yet, Hissa said her could be trusted, but the Magistrate could have been deceived, she preferred to err on the side of caution. The game she was playing was a dangerous one.

She had no desire to get caught off guard.

The two were currently riding in a command speeder, heading out towards the settlement of Orid. Bleez and a small detachment of guards followed behind them. The decision to go to Orid had been a necessary one. It served as one of the main processing centers of spores and food stuffs on the planet, if the rebellion wished to continue hurting the Empire, it was there that they would likely choose to strike.

We need to remind the people that the Empire keeping them safe, Avaryss thought, both remind and warn them.

Resistance will not be tolerated.

Darth Sadi did not seem completely sold on the plan, but, as Inquisitor, the final choice fell to Avaryss.

She would make the journey, she needed to do her job, and…look into other matters.

The people need to see me, Avaryss thought, not the fiction that the Rebels had tried to create, but the true her. She could be dangerous if crossed, yes, but at the same time she could be a great ally to her friends and servants.

She wished for the people of Orid to be both.

Plus, it had a hard record storage for all its citizens, citizens like the Lylos family.

Avaryss nodded slightly.

Perhaps those hard files would reveal more about her mother's history, and why the need to erase so much about her past.

_Why do you even care_, the darkness within whispered_, how does your mother's history effect your life as a Sith? How does it help your mission here?"_

_It affects it,_ she thought_, because someone very high up decided that mother's history was worth their time to erase. Why go to all that trouble if it was not important? What if someone was trying to hide something?_

What that something was, she could not say, but she was curious.

Knowledge was power, and this knowledge needed to be hers.

Who knew where it might lead?

She turned to Ro; he seemed distracted by their journey, the long grass blowing in the winter wind.

She sighed.

Did he miss what had been before? Did he miss the simplicity that had once been a way of life here? Darth Daverus had been a more hands off ruler than Darth Feer, the people had gotten to live their lives; as long as the quotas were met the Empire let the Oridannan people live their lives in isolation and a state of blissful ignorance.

Feer had changed that, and now the war was making him tighten his grip on this planet even more, the war and his desire to ascend to the now vacant throne.

She did not want to see Darth Feer as Emperor, but at the same time, his ascension would bring her closer to the throne than anyone else. If he seized the Sith throne, all she would have to do was reach out and take it when the time was right.

Was that not worth bowing and scraping to him for a little while longer?

Was that not worth the happiness of her homeworld?

She frowned.

She could grind Oridanna beneath her heel, she could crush any resistance to her master's rule, but in doing so she would prove herself to be the one thing that she did not wish to be. She would prove herself her master's puppet, his blade at his enemy's' throats.

She shook her head.

Why was this so hard?

Why did she feel so…_conflicted?_

_Because you do not want to hurt our people_, Keera reminded her, _you dreamed of making this world a paradise once; you could do so, if you continue on your current path._

But…but the throne?

_If you control the Empire's food supply, the spores that increase the effects of our medical supplies, you will not need Darth Feer; you will have the Empire by the throat._

They will have no choice.

They can either bow, or be destroyed.

She shivered both ideas had their merits.

_What was she to do?_

_What would a true dark lord do?_

"My lord?"

She looked over; Ro was looking at her, a concerned look on his face.

"Is something wrong? You seem…tense."

Avaryss shook her head.

"I'm fine," she said dismissively.

She did not wish to discuss this with him right now. Still, she was surprised that he picked up on her tension; she did not think she let things slip so easily.

She was usually not so foolish as to let a little thing like body language reveal her emotions.

Being back on Oridanna was changing her, she feared, but was she growing weaker or stronger?

It might have nothing to do with you, Keera suggested, it might just be Ro.

She dared another glance at him.

Maybe, she thought.

_Ro is a seasoned investigator now_, Keera reminded her; _you should not be surprised._

Again Avaryss sighed.

She had not expected this to be so difficult.

It would have been easier if the past did not keep intruding on the present. Despite her past feelings, her desire to see the Wilkes pay for what had happened to her and her family, what she was feeling when she looked at Ro was confusing the issue.

It would have been easier if he did not radiate with a silent pain. She could sense his hurting, and it made the predator in her sit up and take notice.

Normally, such signals made her want to destroy someone, but this time…this time…

…she felt…something different.

She found herself remembering that picnic long ago, the feel of his arms around her, the smell of him, and the softness of his skin.

She shivered.

She could honestly say, this was probably the first time she felt any sort of attraction to a man who was not Force sensitive, and yes, she was willing to admit that it **was** attraction. The thought of being with a mundane had never really entered her mind before this.

What would it be like?

When two Force sensitives were together, it was a…experience to be sure. It was not just physical intimacy, but mental intimacy as well, and when two Force sensitives…_chose_ to become **truly **intimate, it went beyond mere physical desire.

Through the Force the two became one in that one sweet indescribable moment, all that you were, was, and might be all became rolled up in a beautiful, spiritual, and physical experience, an experience that left you breathless…changed.

She frowned beneath her mask.

What would it be like to be with a mundane? Someone who could not share in such an experience?

The thought made her mouth go dry.

She was…curious to say the least.

Perhaps Keera was right, perhaps she needed to explore what had happened to Ro, how the last few years had been for him.

It might be the only way to make an informed decision on what came next.

"You seem very well connected," she said conversationally."

Ro shrugged.

"As I said, my father was an ambitious man," her old friend shook his head.

"Too ambitious maybe."

She looked over him, wondering what he meant by that.

"May I ask you what happened?"

Again Ro shrugged.

"I assume you are wondering how my father died? I'm guessing you read my file, you seem to be a very thorough Sith, my lord."

She nodded; she would not insult him by playing childish games.

Ro gave her a sad smile.

"After his friend was killed, my father was named overseer. There were people in our district that did not agree with his promotion. Those first few weeks of Darth Feer's rule were…chaotic to say the least."

She felt a ripple of pain go off of him. The part of her that was Keera wanted to reach out to him, but Avaryss held it in check.

"There was a riot, my father brought in the security volunteers, men and women that he trusted. He did not need to go, but he thought that it would help calm things down, most people still knew him as chief peacekeeper he thought his presence might help calm things down. One of the rioters had a vibro-blade, and…

Ro snorted.

He died when someone stabbed him in the throat. His men tried to get him to a medical facility, but the wound was too bad and too deep. Once he was gone, my mother took my siblings and left, they feared that our family would suffer reprisals for my father's failure to contain things…"

"But you stayed?"

"Yeah, I wanted to make sure that my father's death was not in vain, and…I had other reasons. The murder of my father's friend, the first overseer and his family…

"I…I wanted to bring them to justice."

Avaryss listened intently, surprised by what she had heard.

Had Ro not known what his father had done? Had he had not known that Golan Wilkes had made a deal with Darth Feer?

It…it did not feel like it, she sensed no deception in her old friend's words.

She reached out with the Force, in that moment Ro Wilkes emotions were raw; they betrayed him, as she suspected they would…

What she felt…surprised her.

"I sense…that there was more to the story…a…a girl?"

Ro winced.

"I was close to the previous overseer's family," he admitted to her, "Their daughter was…"

He shook his head.

"It doesn't matter now, she is dead, and the people that hurt her are too. I brought them all down for what they did. I can take pride in that."

Avaryss nodded.

Again, she felt no deception, and what Ro was thinking, what he was feeling.

It touched her deeply.

He is a mundane, the dark side reminded her, there is no value in letting him into your life, he is not Force sensitive, and would only serve to weaken your bloodline.

_Maybe_, Keera agreed, _but it would be fun…bringing him in._

She shivered.

Keera was not wrong.

It would be…fun.

"What of you, my lord?" Ro asked.

"Me," she said with a tilt of her head.

"Hissa said you were from here, and I can certainly hear that in your accent."

He smiled slightly.

"What is your story?"

She was tempted to tell him, what he had said to her, what she felt through the Force, she wanted to bare her soul to him. She wanted to do it, and she almost did…

…almost.

She sighed.

"I was an orphan," she admitted, "The Imperial mission found me in…a weak moment. They recognized what I was and could become, and sent me off world, where I attended a Sith Academy."

She nodded grimly.

"They made me who I am."

Ro nodded, accepting her story, it was not a lie; in fact it was the truth, just not the **whole** true.

The investigator in him likely suspected that there was more to the story, but did not push her on it.

"I'm sorry," he said, "It is never easy leaving one's home."

She tried to respond dismissively, to further keep him off balance.

"I gained more than I lost that day. The dark side gave me much and allowed me to return as more than I was before. I can make a difference here now, more than anyone else realizes."

Ro laughed.

She gave him a cool look.

"You doubt me?"

"No," he said smirking, "I just didn't peg you for an idealist, most of the Sith I've spoken with are more concerned about their own power than making a difference."

He chuckled.

"Your boyfriend must love that about you."

She pursed her lips.

Boyfriend? Why would Ro ask about that?

Was he trying to see if she was with anyone on Dromund Kaas?

Again she felt her body warm.

"My work occupies most of my time," she confessed, "And with the war on there is little time for such…dalliances. I'm on my own."

"Really," he said innocently, suggesting that the comment was anything but.

"Why do you ask?" she inquired.

"Just making conversation," he replied.

"And what of you lieutenant, do your girlfriends admire your bravery for standing up and questioning a Sith in so direct a manner?"

She was interested in how he responded to that. Ro had had no shortage of female admirers, she wondered if he had ever given into one. The file she had read said he was unmarried, but that did not mean that he was unattached.

"Like you, my work is my main concern," he said, and again she felt no lie in his words.

Her heart beat a little faster, despite her wishing that it wouldn't.

"Why do you ask?" he said.

She shrugged.

"Just making conversation," she answered a hint of a smile on her face.

"Just like you…"

He grinned.

"Fair enough, my lord," he said.

"Fair enough."

IOI

The village of Orid was much as she remembered it, with the exception of an increased Sith military presence, the place had not changed much. The government building still stood, as to the security walls and collection of warehouses where the Empire stored the various goods it needed for transport.

As for the people, they seemed…curious about her arrival, a small crowd began to gather as her command speeder and its escort pulled up before the main government building. She sensed a mix of fear and hostility, but did not think much of it. Between what he master had been doing, and the rebels' disinformation campaign she had suspected that she would not be greeted with open arms, not by the common folk anyway. The mayor and his staff emerged to meet them, offering both welcome and the assurance that the people of Orid remained committed to life under the Empire, and that the rebels would find no allies here.

That remains to be seen, she thought to herself.

So far she had experienced nothing to suggest that Oridanna was the loyal place that she remembered.

She was determined to change that, to bring her people back from the brink…

…she would do it by any means necessary.

Whatever it took, she was prepared to do it.

This world would be brought to heel.

As was tradition, the mayor and his staff met with her privately within the building, to swear to her, their dark lord's representative, an oath of fealty and loyalty.

She let the meeting happen. She found the whole thing incredibly boring, but the niceties had to be observed. She sat in the chair as the imperials stood around her, kneeling and swearing their loyalty. Her mechanical fingers idly traced a circle on her leg as the mayor and his sycophants droned on and on.

Ro noticed what she was doing, and so she quickly stopped, she was not sure if he could tell that she was bored by all this or if he felt something else was going on. She looked away from him, down and to the right. She pretended that she had not noticed anything, that she had not noticed his eyes upon her.

It was better that than the alternative.

Once all the ceremony had been concluded, she summoned the mayor and his staff to make a full report of what they were doing to help combat the rebels. She wished to hear what plans these politicians and their drones had put in place.

Sadly, she was not pleased by what she heard.

The mayor felt it was safer not to antagonize the rebels, that by increasing the military presence here, he was only inviting problems to befall their little settlement.

Darth Feer had already strengthened the garrison here in Orid as he had done in many of the settlements throughout the planet. So far there had been no attacks in Orid or the surrounding towns. There had been a few issues involving the villages' young people, but those had been dealt with swiftly and decisively by Oridanna's security volunteers.

Ro had nodded, she could sense his pride at mayor's comment, and why not?

If the Empire could not trust its own local militia, who could it trust.

As for Ro, he continued to prove that what Hissa said about him was no lie. The mayor knew him on sight, and proclaimed him a loyal son of the empire.

Again, Avaryss found herself hoping that it was true.

She really needed an ally right now.

One thing she did notice was that she did not recognize the mayor or any of his senior staff. She suspected that her father's old friends and colleagues may have well met a similar fate to their overseer. Speaking of which she saw no sign of an overseer, he or she was simply not here.

She wondered what was the meaning of that.

_What does it matter, at least the people here in Orid are taking the matter seriously, the garrison is on alert. _

What else could you ask of them?

She decided to let matters play out as the mayor suggested, she did not like it, but he knew his people better than her. She did promise a squad of security droids for the processing centers and warehouses. The empire was still at war, and they needed to maintain their supply lines.

Those matters concluded; Avaryss dismissed the men and women to go about their business. She informed them that she wished to see the hard records room. She told them that she needed to see the files on how many items were passing through Orid and when was the highest yield, so the droids could be programmed to see to the safety of what they were protecting.

It was an excuse, but a good one, no one bothered to question a Sith about her choice. So, she left Ro with the mayor and headed down to the records room.

She was most eager to see what she would find there. Surely, there were files here detailing her family, and what her mother had offered to the Empire during her life.

The lack of information in the files in Danna City still bothered the young Sith Lord.

She was hoping to correct that oversight.

In the meantime, it allowed her to continue to gather information on Ro and the city leaders. She had left a listening device in the chair in the mayor's office, a toy that she had gotten from Holli, it would self-destruct in an hour, leaving no trace, but for a time she would be able to hear what Ro and the Mayor had to say, particularly about her and the Sith.

She smiled to herself as she hit the chin toggle inside her helmet, to switch the device on; it would be good back ground noise as she worked...

…And, if she happened to hear something incriminating, well…so much the better.

She would not have to go far to deliver justice to the criminal, and then the others would know just how dangerous their dark lord was to an enemy.

IOI

"Can she be trusted Ro?

"She has given me no reason to think otherwise, Mister Mayor. So far, everything that Hissa said about her appears to be genuine."

There was a brief pause; Avaryss could hear muttering in the background, likely one of the staff members she had seen earlier.

"How can we be sure that this girl is simply not another of Darth Sadi's puppets, we all saw the images that were broadcast…?"

"Images that were broadcast by insurgents, minister," Ro said interrupting the speaker, "We should not blame Lord Avaryss for something that was done when she was not here."

"Does she ever take off that mask," another voice asked, "It is most disturbing."

"I've never seen her without it," Ro replied, "Maybe she hides her features for a reason. She maybe scarred. She is missing her left arm, maybe her face was damaged in the same battle."

If she even lost an arm in battle," another of the mayor's staff said, "The games the dark lords play are vicious, maybe one of them…"

"Enough," Ro said quickly, "Lord Avaryss came here in good faith. We should at the very try to honor her for that."

The Dark Lord smiled.

So far, Ro was doing a fair job of playing her defender.

Maybe Hissa was right about him after all.

She was sitting at one of the information terminals in the records room. A single archive droid was working with her, accessing and bringing her the metal cases that contained the hard copy files the computer had pointed her to. She had briefly looked at what she had told the mayor she would be looking at, just in case he asked her about it later, but now she was focused on her main reason for coming here.

She had asked to see anything on Andur Lylos and his family, with a focus on his wife Mya, or any related files containing the name Mya Moritza.

She had hoped that something remained here.

As she continued to listen to Ro and the politicians upstairs, she had come to realize that she had been out maneuvered again. Though the hard copy files on her father remained, they contained little about his family, and even less about his wife.

She was not sure what to make of that.

True, Mya Lylos had mostly stayed on the farm with her children, but she had done business with other farmers, she had often left her eldest daughter Keera to look after her younger siblings when she had gone on these trips.

Sadly, the files here contained little record of those comings and goings, no images, no signatures, and very little in the way of evidence.

Avaryss shook her head.

It was as if her mother had never existed.

Why would someone do this" Keera asked her, what would someone have to gain from erasing mother from all public records?

"You are assuming that any records existed to begin with," Avaryss murmured to herself, "If what I'm seeing is accurate, and then the attempt to hide what mother was doing has been going on for years, if not decades."

There was virtually almost nothing in these files about Mya Lylos or a Mya Moritza.

Nothing.

Avaryss could not even find the record of her birth. She checked the medical records for the Orid medical center where she, Beric, and the rest of the Lylos children had been born, and she found nothing, only a numerical code that suggested that the medical droids had been used for some procedure, beyond that…there was nothing.

Avaryss' temper began to flare.

Part of her wanted to lash out, to destroy this place for denying her. The Empire ran on burocracy and data trails, and yet this one did not exist, or if it had it had been completely expunged.

She did not know what to make of that.

She continued to listen to Ro, he remained her champion, defending her against the Mayor's staff, reassuring them that she, a daughter of Oridanna, had returned, and seemed willing to listen to their pleas.

That was true, she thought, she wanted to be the champion of her people, but she also wanted to make sure that the rebellion here on Oridanna found no more traction.

It would be hard balancing such goals, but she was willing to try.

She was Sith.

The dark side could anything, and it served her will.

She would be successful.

She remained in the archives until the listening device finally burned out and stopped working, with a sigh, she ordered the droid to return the records cases to their original places and once that was done wipe any record of what she had been searching for here. Most people could not do that, but as a Sith her executive clearance made such a request possible.

The droid would obey her command.

Is that what happened to mother's records, Keera asked her, do you think some Sith came along and expunged her files?

Avaryss frowned.

It was possible, but again…why?

This erasure did not appear to be recent thing, if she was correct someone had been erasing mother's records for years, but why?

The thought made her head ache.

What was so important about an overseer's wife?

Why was her life so important that a Sith would need to make sure that no record of it remained?

She had no answer.

She sighed.

She was back to square one.

She tried not to dwell on that fact, to focus on Ro, and how well he had tried to defend her against the mayor and his staff.

She was pleased.

My brave knight, she thought.

I thought Fenn, was our brave knight, Keera said.

He is, but as you said yourself, Keera, he is not here.

Why should I limit myself to one brave defender, when I can have two?

Her thoughts drifted back to finding Ro in his quarters, how good he had looked laying there.

She shivered a mix of both excitement and desire.

Desire before duty, young Sith.

She smiled.

Ro had not been as involved in his father's schemes as she had thought, perhaps…she was wrong to have been angry with him all this time.

Maybe…this could be the start of a new beginning?

Maybe.

IOI

"My lord, I think we have a problem."

Avaryss paused before Bleez; the Warmaster was now standing in the main receiving room of the government building. Avaryss had only just arrived, having collected Ro Wilkes from the Mayor's office.

"Report, Warmaster," she said.

"What is going on?"

The trooper gestured to the closed doors before them.

"Listen," the Warmaster said, "You can hear them."

Avaryss did just that, she heard the sound of raised voices, angry voices outside; a lot of them.

She frowned.

Well, she thought.

Isn't this just special?

Through the monitors scattered around the room she could see what was happening outside, a large crowd had gathered at the government building's steps, chanting and shouting at the Sith soldiers that blocked their path.

Avaryss could feel their anger, their hostility towards not only the mayor but to her first and foremost.

She sighed.

Why did she always have to do things the hard way?

"Damn it," Ro grumbled shaking his head.

He turned to Avaryss.

"You should stay here, my lord. I will go out and speak to them, convince them to disperse."

"We shall both go," the dark lord replied, "I will not hide in here while I'm being threatened."

Ro frowned at that, clearly he did not agree.

"My lord, your presence out there would only make things worse. The people are scared and angry, and after the rebel's broadcast during your attempted speech."

"Your concern is noted," Avaryss said stopping him, "But it does not change the fact that I must face that crowd. These are my people, lieutenant. If I show fear before them now, they will see that as weakness, and a dark lord cannot afford to be weak, not if she wishes to continue her reign."

She shook her head.

"I shall stand beside you, and together we will convince this crowd to disperse."

Ro looked at her like she had gone mad, perhaps she had.

She could sense many things from the young lieutenant in that moment. He did not wish this to turn ugly, he feared for his people, but at the same time…

Avaryss smiled beneath her mask.

She felt Ro's concern, concern for her safety and well-being. He was afraid that the mob outside might hurt her, and that was not all she felt…

Her smile widened.

She sensed…interest in the young peacekeeper, even…attraction?

He has not even seen my face, and already he is curious about me, she thought, he…might even desire me.

That realization almost made her blush.

What would he say if she took off her mask? Would he remember her?

It might be something worth trying soon, but not now.

Right now, she needed to help him calm the citizens outside.

She had no desire to see this turn into a blood bath.

These people were her people.

She had no desire to harm them.

Standing beside Ro Wilkes, Darth Avaryss left the government building and stood on the steps overlooking the village of Orid. All around her the crowd had gathered; their voices so loud that it had drowned out the public address system.

Avaryss sighed when she looked at the massive holo projector.

It was in this very square that she had seen Darth Feer for the first time. It was here that her life had found its true path, and she had taken her first steps down the path to darkness, a path that might, if she was wise and mindful, could possibly lead to the Sith Throne.

She would not turn away from that path, not when it had brought her so close to absolute victory she needed to be smart.

The future was right there, all she had to do was gather enough strength to make it hers and take it.

She had come too far.

She would not stop now.

She let the crowd vent their anger for a few moments. Ro stood before her, his hands raised, trying to get the people to calm down and fall silent. The Sith troopers that barred the way radiated with both nervousness and grim determination.

They would act to defend their lord if they were needed, fortunately, Avaryss did not think that that would be a problem.

She stood with her hands behind her back, much as her father had once done when he had stood on these steps. It was from him that she now drew her confidence. If he could calm this rabble down, then so could she.

She would not let herself be slighted, not by the people of Orid.

They would learn their place.

"Good people, hear me," she called out using the Force to enhance her voice, once again it was Keera that she let speak, she wanted the crowd to hear her accent, to know that she had been born among them.

For once, her Dromund Kaas accent would not help her. It was Keera that was needed here, not Avaryss.

It was Keera that could save the day.

"I stand before you now," she continued, "Not just as a dark lord, but as a citizen of Oridanna. Once I stood in a place very much like this one. I listened to the lords' drone on about safety and security. I confess that I did not give it much thought back then, but now I do. Our people need to be kept safe, not just from the enemies beyond our borders, but from those that pretend to be one of us."

"It is for that reason that Darth Avaryss has come," Ro added quickly, "She knows what we face every day, and wishes to try and make our lives better."

She stepped before him, letting the Force guide her words.

"I know that you want what is best for your home, what is best for our people. That is what I desire too. No doubt, there are likely rebels among us right now, waiting for the chance to spread chaos and disorder.

She smiled.

"Such an enemy is most insidious. They would love nothing more than to start a riot, to force me and these brave men and women before you into defending themselves. They no doubt have rocks in hand, or perhaps even hold out blasters. Such people want nothing more than to divide us, to bring more people over to their side. It falls to us to deny them what they want, to remember that we are all imperials, that the Empire has never abandoned you, just as I will never abandon you."

Avaryss smiled then, her hand drifting to her belt, to the lightsaber she had clipped there.

"To those of you that would seek to see me cast down, I ask you one small question, one small piece of advice before I retire and return to my transport. If you want to hurt me, you will need to make the attempt, but if you do, realize one thing."

Her smile turned predatory, she let all hear the ice and venom in her voice.

"If you wish to attack me, then you will attack me, but if you do, answer one question for me. What happens to you...if you miss?"

She let the words hand over the heads of the people, she did not move, or issue any commands to her soldiers. She simply stood watch and waited…

The crowd before her began to part; some people left it all together, remembering at long last that they were imperials, and that they owed their lives to the Empire.

Ro looked upon her with a mix of fear and respect, and again she felt that small sensation of heat between them, that spark that had driven him to defend her, to offer to go out alone and deal with this crowd.

Ro had been a brave boy, and he had grown into a brave and handsome man, but more importantly, he knew his place. He was an imperial, a fact that she had just reminded the people in the crowd.

Imperials existed to serve the Sith.

They needed to remember that, the Empire was at war.

In a war the Empire only had allies or enemies.

Today, she took a large step in making sure that Oridanna fit in the ally category, because if they did not.

…there would be no help for them. There would be no hope for the Empire's enemies, no hope and…

…no mercy.


	21. A Velvet Touch

**Chapter 21: A Velvet Touch**

Pain.

For one who walked the dark path, it quickly became an old friend. Avaryss had come to know much about it. She had endured both physical and psychological pain on her path to power.

Now…she had discovered a new type of pain. One that was far more cruel and slippery than anything she had dealt with before. Even now she could feel it tugging at her, begging her to surrender, and by doing so, free herself from its cold embrace.

She refused. She armored herself with her rage and hatred, refusing to give in to weakness and turning her back on any thought of submission or surrendered.

Yet, the pain remained, and it would as long as she was here.

She frowned.

As long as she remained in the presence of Darth Sadi, it would always be there.

The dark lord of the Itae system had summoned her. She had said that they needed to talk. Now, Avaryss stood at attention before her while the dark lord and her apprentice danced across the central tower's training room, their lightsabers spitting and humming with each blow.

Avaryss watched the two spar with interest, when dealing with someone who would likely be an enemy one day, any information you could gather on them was both useful and necessary.

Sadi's skill was impressive; she could not deny that, she fought with a grace and style that would have given most sword wielder's pause. Her understanding of the single handed Makashi style was not something seen often today. In an age where most enemies used blasters the elegance of one on one lightsaber combat was often lost. A few Sith still kept that style alive, and it made them useful against Jedi blade masters she supposed, those that were unprepared for an almost forgotten style.

Sadi was clearly one of those Sith. She controlled the battlefield around her.

Poor Bael did not stand much of a chance.

He kept trying to charge in, get inside her guard. Sadi would dance away, parrying his attacks, and with each exchange nearly nicking her apprentice with her blade, not enough to cut, but enough to leave burns on Bael's hand, neck, and jacket.

Love taps, Avaryss thought, had she wanted, Sadi could have taken his fool's head, but that would not serve a master trying to teach an apprentice would it?

_It was kind of hard to learn without a head._

Bael had taken after his master it seemed, he also wielded a lightsaber with a curved hilt, but he lacked patience and grace to truly be a master of Makashi. Instead his style was a blend of Ataru, Makashi, and the Shii-Cho, not a bad choice of styles she supposed, but it did not really play to his strengths.

Master Adaz, Avaryss; old teacher likely would have advised the young apprentice to study Djem-So, it would have allowed him to play to his new size and strength level. Ataru may have been useful to Bael before he had hit his growth spurt, but now it was simply getting in the way, denying him what could have been a true advantage in combat with dangerous enemy.

Bael was simply too big and slow now to use Ataru to its best advantage. Sadi should have seen that, and advised him to change up his style.

Avaryss shook her head.

_What were they teaching acolytes on Korriban these days?_

The fight brought Sadi closer, and in that moment, Avaryss felt the pain spike again. The sensation nearly overwhelmed her, it made her sway where she stood, causing her to draw deeper into the dark side, to double her mental shields that seemed to always be under attack when Darth Sadi was around.

She sighed.

At least now she understood why the woman had been granted control of the Itae system.

Her powers were…formidable to say the least.

When Avaryss looked at the dark lord through the Force, truly looked, she could see the dark side energies that almost constantly radiated off the other Sith. Those energies did not only radiate, but moved almost with a will of their own, they ensnared anyone in range, drawing them deeper under Sadi's control.

The Sith was like a spider sitting in the center of its web.

A cunning spider, Avaryss thought with a grim nod, and she was a most clever one, indeed.

Avaryss was not sure what to make of such power. The closest thing she had found to it in her studies of the Force was concept of battle meditation and Force bonds, but this seemed to go beyond those skills. The connections that Darth Sadi formed were not about enhancing others, they were about degrading, wearing down a person's will and defenses.

As a Sith she found the power…impressive.

It was a shame that such a gift had ended up in the hands of someone like Sadi, a true dark lord would have found far better uses for such a talent in the field.

Avaryss allowed her jealousy of the woman's power to flow, let that jealousy turn into resentment and hate.

It allowed her to fuel her mental shields far more effectively.

It is like a drug, she thought to herself, if she let that power wash over her, it would take away all her fears and doubts. She was trust Sadi completely, her wisdom, and what she desired through her rule. Avaryss could only speculate on what the long term effects would do to a person. She feared that anyone around Sadi too long would be left incapable of making a decision that would act against the needs of the dark lord. That a person exposed to Sadi's power for too long would become a mere extension of the dark lord's will.

_We cannot let that happen to us_, Keera advised silently.

_Do not worry_, Avaryss assured her.

_We will not._

Of course, resistance had its drawbacks too. During their first encounter Avaryss had drank deep of Sadi's power, the dinner that the two women had shared had given her a taste of drug that was the dark lord's…ability…charisma, whatever you might call it. Now, on some small level, her body and mind craved that connection again.

The pain that she now felt was a dull ache, likely the equivalent of the withdrawal symptoms that a spice addict suffered after several days without a spike.

I will not give in, Avaryss thought, her eyes narrowing.

_Just for a moment_, something within her whispered, _just drop your guard for a moment. Bask in your new mistress's power._

_It will be okay._

Avaryss frowned.

_No,_ Keera murmured inside her head.

_It won't. _

She would not give in; she had worked too hard to simply surrender now.

If she did, if she let go, even for a moment, she would soon become just another smiling idiot at Sadi's table, eagerly bobbing her head in agreement to whatever it was the dark lord said.

Avaryss would not do that.

She had fought too long and hard to step out of her master's shadow.

She would not willingly fall into the shadow of another.

Perhaps Darth Sadi had finally recognized Avaryss' resistance. Despite still trading blows with her apprentice, she finally deemed Avaryss worth of her words.

"You have been busy these last two weeks Inquisitor," she said conversationally, "I trust your plans are going smoothly?"

"They are…as to be expected," Avaryss replied, "there is much anger out in the provinces…"

She gave the dark lord a sly smile.

"It is not easy to redirect that anger towards are true enemies."

Sadi nodded.

"I've heard that you have been visiting the squatter camps as well. Are you sure that is wise, Avaryss, those people have more than enough reason to seek you harm. Why offer them the opportunity?"

"The squatter camps are likely hotbeds for rebel activity," she informed her fellow Sith.

"It hurts nothing to remind them that they are being watched."

Plus, there was another advantage to doing so, she thought.

They are my people.

It never hurts to remind them of that.

Bael lunged at his master, she parried his strike with a spinning flourish, and before he could recover she struck out at him, three quick strikes. Avaryss thought she heard the boy yelp.

He now had a small red burn on his left cheek, a kiss from Sadi's lightsaber.

He touched it, Avaryss thought he might cry or fly into a rage, but he did not.

He smiled hungrily at his master, and returned to a ready position.

Clearly Bael had developed a resistance to pain, or perhaps he had come to enjoy it.

Neither thought gave Avaryss much comfort.

"I've also been told that you have been offering credit and support to several of the squatter camps," Sadi said blandly, "Out of your own pocket, no less."

She gave her fellow Sith a curious look.

"Why would you do that to such low people?"

Avaryss shrugged.

"They are only low people because they ended up on the wrong side of our master's ambitions, some of the people that I met were once landowners here, men with power and responsibilities."

Avaryss smiled.

"You will note that I have not helped every camp that I've visited; only the ones that are large enough to be useful, that have loyal leaders that will help me contain the others. As the smaller camps that I've denied my aid to fall apart, the survivors will seek out new lives in the ones that I've pacified, they will in turn pacify any resistance or resentment that the survivors have towards us.

Avaryss shrugged again.

"It is only good business."

"An interesting idea,"Sadi exclaimed, blocking another attack from Bael.

Avaryss snorted.

It had been a good idea, but it was also not hers.

It had been Ro that had first suggested that she try this tactic, and she had to admit, it was quite good. Ro Wilkes knowledge of the camps had surprised her. After the fall of the southern landowners it had been he and select group of his security volunteers that had helped settle the squatter camps, but at the same time made sure that they were not armed hotbeds of disgruntled citizens.

The order that he had helped establish aided her now. He knew just who to talk to. The men and women he had directed her to were smart; they would not let their past losses cloud their judgment in accepting a new alliance.

Ro was proving to be truly a treasured ally in her work, and their close proximity had…reawakened some old feelings.

She was trying to stay on track, but at the same time.

Even thinking of Ro now made her body warm.

She would need to stay focused, to control herself.

She still had much work to do. She did not wish to spoil what they had done so far by bringing personal baggage and history into it.

Ro was a precious source of contacts and information, but that was only part of what was required. You did not buy loyalty with promises alone, you needed resources and credits, and thanks to Imperial supply she had more than enough resources to spread around.

As for the credits, well, Avaryss had those to burn, as well. As the secret owner of Thunn Cyber Systems, she had access to more credits that she could likely spend in a lifetime, and thanks to a bit of creative banking from Taya's father, she had access to her money pretty much anywhere in the galaxy.

It made it easy to buy both supplies and new friends, and in doing so improved her status here on Oridanna. She needed to be more than her master's sword in the eyes of people. She wanted them to see her as gracious lord and protector.

It was a necessary step as she continued to root out the rebellion here.

Bael sneered at her words.

"Your coddling of your lessers does you no credit, Lord Avaryss," he said, "If you seek the loyalty of this…rabble, you should simply crush the leaders that defy you and install new ones. Dealing with those people just makes you look weak before your fellows."

Avaryss did not bother responding.

There was the Bael Feer she remembered, the short sighted and cruel little fungus she had come to despise.

She should not have had to explain her actions to him. She was a Darth, and he a mere apprentice, a fact that she was about to remind him of when Darth Sadi spoke up.

"A blade is not the only way to win support, apprentice," she said, "There are times when you can do more with gentle touch then an iron fist."

Again Sadi moved in quickly, and nicked the sleeve of her apprentice's shirt.

She fell back with a triumphant smile.

"Sometimes a gentle caress is all it takes."

Again Bael nodded and smiled, but this time Avaryss sensed more from him then an apprentice's respect for a master. He had not tried to hide it; perhaps he forgot who was standing in front of him.

Her eyes widened slightly.

No!

What is that? She thought. But then just as quickly her surprise turned to revulsion.

Gross.

Despite being almost twice his age, Bael Feer was in love with his master. Avaryss could feel it now so clearly. Through the Force she could see how completely Bael with immersed in his master's power, but what she felt beyond that was a far stronger connection, way stronger than what you would find in normal master apprentice bond.

She wrinkled her nose in distaste.

Had Sadi encouraged this level of attraction, and more to the point, had she let the boy act on it? Avaryss had always pitied the first girl that Bael brought home to his parents, but if that girl was not a girl at all, but a woman, a woman with both power and ambitions of her own.

Bael did not have the cleverness to deal with a woman, and if she did let him act out his desires with him, who knew what the fool boy would do for her.

She frowned.

Whether Darth Feer knew it or not, letting Sadi train his son had put him in a very dangerous position, very dangerous indeed.

Was this why Synestra was coming to Oridanna? Had she sensed something wrong with her son? Avaryss had not been looking forward to the visit. She did not want her master's lady wife charging in here like a Bantha messing with her various plans.

Perhaps…the time had come to reconsider that way of thinking.

Avaryss only just managed to suppress a smile.

There might just be a way to turn all this to her advantage.

She would need to send word to Dromund Kaas! Though many of the allies she had cultivated within House Feer had died when Darth Terrog tried to destroy it, she still had a few people there that owed her their allegiance.

She would need to find a way to intercept Synestra ship. She should speak privately with her master's wife before she saw Bael, and of course, she needed to move Cynn Feer down here to, she could not afford to have the mother sense the daughter on board, not until she was ready for Synestra to know that she had her daughter.

It was a complicated game, she was playing. She was walking a tightrope with lightsaber blades for a safety net, but at the same time, she found herself excited by the whole prospect of it.

A Sith was never more alive than when they were scheming, and in that moment, Avaryss felt very much alive.

She lived in interesting times.

She was most fortunate.

Sadi, finally tiring of trading blows with Bael chose that moment to end their duel, she moved in fast and hard. She kicked the blade from her apprentice's hand, and then with a back spin kick sent him tumbling to the floor, to his credit, Bael did not stay down long, he turned his fall into a backward roll and ended up on his knees.

Sadi was there to meet him, her blade resting just a few breaths from his throat.

Again, Bael showed what he had learned on Korriban, he tilted his head, offering his master his neck, the sign of submission.

Sadi accepted and turned off her blade, she smiled sweetly.

She had won again.

"What do you think, Lord Avaryss," she asked, "Is my dear apprentice ready to lead a Sith army one day?"

"He has clearly learned much from your teachings," she replied diplomatically, "You should be proud."

Sadi beamed as Bael regained his feet, he took his place at his master's side, pulling his lightsaber to him through the Force.

A dangerous pair, Avaryss thought, she would need to neutralize Sadi first before making any kind of real move here on Oridanna.

And what will become of her puppets when you cut their strings, Keera asked.

Avaryss pursed her lips.

She was not quite sure.

It would be fun to find out.

"Lob Vekk spoke to me recently," Sadi said, "He informs me that you are about to pay a visit to Pholis."

"I am," Avaryss replied, "Pholis is one of the best fresh water suppliers in the sector. I am most curious to see how well they are adapting to the Empire's needs in this time of war."

"The seals will not welcome you," Bael said with a sneer, "And even if they do, most of their production facilities are under water, freezing water."

Bael shook his head.

"It is amazing that we allow them such autonomy. If they were to join these rebels…"

"Which is exactly why I'm going," Avaryss said stopping him mid-sentence, "The presence of a Sith will go a long way to ensuring that the Pho understand what it is the Empire expects of them in these most interesting times."

"Plus," Sadi said with a smirk, "The presence of a Terminus class destroyer overhead never ceases to remind a populace of just what a Sith can do if wronged."

Bael's grin widened.

"Do you think that you will need to punish them, Avaryss? Do you think that we may need to make an example out of the Pho?"

Avaryss shook her head no.

If it came to that, then she had failed her mission.

She was looking to preserve Pholis' resources, not decimate them.

If her presence on Pholis drew the rebels out, so much the better, she still had hoped that any rebel involvement on Pholis was likely small and scattered. The Pho were pacifists by nature, which was the reason why they had surrendered to the Empire in the first place, why they had agreed to become Imperial allies.

Her presence would be a subtle reminder of that.

"I will do what the Empire requires," she assured Darth Sadi, "We must make sure that bounty of Pholis continues to flow into the Imperial coffers."

"Do so and I will be greatly pleased," Sadi said, "And you will have proven yourself again a Hero of the Empire."

Again Avaryss sensed Sadi reaching out, trying to breach her defenses, to bring her into her web and ensnare her.

And again, Avaryss resisted.

"I will serve the will of the dark council," she assured the lord of the Itae system.

"All that we require; it will be ours."

Avaryss sensed confusion from Darth Sadi, that and a brief flash of fury.

She suppressed another smile.

She knows that I'm resisting her. She no doubt expected some flowery pledge of loyalty, assurance that I would not disappoint her.

I did not give her what she wanted, Avaryss thought with an amused smirk.

She clearly does not like that.

Good, Keera thought, get her angry.

Angry people have been known to make fatal mistakes.

True, but angry Sith have access to great power.

She still needed to tread lightly around Bael's master.

Sadi was still dangerous.

She still needed to be cautious.

"I ask that you take one of the enforcers with you when you go," Sadi said, "If trouble does start between us and the Pho, we may need to send one to restore order."

"Agreed," Avaryss said with a nod, in fact she already had the perfect candidate.

"I will bring Chylde with me; I think the Twi'lek could benefit from watching me work."

"AS you wish," Sadi replied, hiding her sense of disappointment, or trying to.

The green skinned Twi'lek was not like her fellows; Avaryss got the feeling that Sadi's power did not hold as much sway over the enforcer as she would have wished.

Again that was a good thing, Avaryss preferred not to be surrounded by the dark lord's sycophants. Chylde would be a good companion on this mission.

"Proceed with caution, Lord Avaryss," Sadi said stepping away, motioning for Bael to follow her.

"We must do what we can to preserve the value of Pholis."

"You need not worry, Lord Sadi," Avaryss said offering a small bow of respect.

"As you have seen from my work here, I do know the value of a soft touch.

"But if that soft touch fails?" Sadi asked.

Avaryss shrugged, a cruel smile coming to lips.

"That is what my destroyer will be for; it serves so well as an iron fist."

"It does indeed, Avaryss," Sadi said, laughing lightly.

"Proceed with your mission, Lord Avaryss."

"May the Force serve you well."

"I have no worries on that," Avaryss said gamely.

"I'm most certain that it will."


	22. The Journey

**Chapter 22: The Journey**

"_What are you doing?"_

Avaryss paused; her smile was both cold and arrogant.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Keera? Surely, you have seen a woman putting make-up on before?"

She was currently sitting in her private quarters aboard _The Emperor's Wisdom_. The destroyer was currently in hyperspace, on its way to the planet Pholis, the home of Lob Vekk and his people.

Avaryss had decided to pay them a visit. The Ambassador had agreed, sending his response back through Beric, in the interest of continued good will between his people and the Empire.

Once again she found herself facing Keera. Her other self was again looking out from her mirror.

Avaryss pursed her lips.

Was it such a mystery to figure out what was happening?

Lipstick, blush, and just a hint of dark eyeliner, Avaryss had never really been the type of girl that wore make-up every day, but…after her brief hero's tour, her duty after her victory over Darth Terrog, after the Battle of the Inferno Nebula, she had learned the value of looking her best.

Let them see the power and poise of a young Sith Lord, one of officers who had accompanied her had said.

Let them look on…and be both awed and jealous.

Her smile widened.

Good advice.

It was one of the few concrete things that had come out of those times, one of the few lessons she had been grateful for. It had felt strange for her, at first, being put on a pedestal, being lauded as everything that a Sith was supposed to be. For the longest time she had been just another apprentice, the secret dagger than her master slid into his enemy's back, then, after Terrog…she had been hailed a hero and champion of the Empire. It was a heady feeling, but she was grateful that such frivolities were in the past.

She had work to do, and she could not do it with a legion of idiots fawning over her.

Her other-self did not take kindly to her arrogance and sarcasm. She glared out from the mirror.

"Yeah, I can see," Keera said peevishly, "My only question is: Why?"

Avaryss fought the urge to roll her eyes.

_Was it __**really**__ so hard to understand?_

The face staring back at her from the mirror frowned. Avaryss had grown to hate it when she looked into the mirror and saw Keera. It was something she had lived with for almost two years now.

She would be grateful when the day came that she looked into a mirror and saw only a reflection, when she did not have to worry about it responding with some snide comment or accusation, when she was finally met with blissful silence.

She awaited that day with baited breath.

There is no point in complaining, she thought to herself, Keera and I have a deal in place…for now. When this is done, when Oridanna is secure, we will settle matters between us once and for all, but for now, we need to continue to co-exist.

We should both try to make the best of it.

"I _**know**_ what you are doing, Avy," her reflection snapped back, "My question is: why? You wear a helmet and mask every time you go out in public now. What is the point of putting on make-up? It serves no purpose."

Avaryss smirked at her.

"Should I not seek to look my best? Should I not seek to look good? Is it so hard to understand that if I need to take off my mask… that I should be prepared?"

She laughed arrogantly.

"I know you are a tomboy, Keera, but even you should be able to understand that."

Keera gave her a dirty look and frowned deeply.

"I still think you are being foolish, beauty is fleeting, remember, power is eternal, and besides, I doubt the Pho are really going to care what you look like. I think the seal men's definition of beauty is a little different than the human one."

Probably, she thought, but then again, she was not doing this for the Pho.

Yes, beauty was fleeting, but it could also be a powerful weapon if used correctly. Lady Synestra Feer had not been wrong about that, and since Avaryss' body had been…changing in the last year, her features had become more and more appealing to a non-Sith.

The color that had returned to her skin, the deep purple color of her eyes, they had combined to make her a much more beautiful creature. She had felt the desire and lust from men around her. Why should she not use it if it served her advantage? The only reason why she wore a mask these days was that some Sith considered the change as a sign of weakness, that she was no longer dipping into the power of the darkside as much as she once had.

Regardless, she needed to use whatever advantages she possessed, and was willing to use what others offered, those…enamored with either her new looks or the power of her position.

Take what Ro Wilkes had offered her for example.

It was not something that one let go without any forethought.

Following the destruction of so many of her personal guard, she had been forced to rely on outside help. She had credits for mercenaries, could have hired a full company of Mandalorians to protect her, but that would not have gone over well with the other Sith in Danna City, or the natives for that matter. Having outsiders for guards would not have won over many hearts and minds amongst her people. Ro Wilkes offered her an answer, he had brought her fifty of his security volunteers, men and women that he assured her could be trusted.

"Many of these people have family that have benefited from your recent visit," he informed her, "And those that have not are fiercely loyal to the Empire. I think you will find such people far more useful than any mercenary soldier that you could bring in."

Had it been anyone else, she would have refused the offer, she would have suspected that she was being manipulated, that these soldiers were a trap, and that they might be pieces in a much larger game, one that she could not understand or play well…yet.

The rebellion, Darth Sadi, and who knew who else was watching.

It may have been smarter to refuse, but instead she had said yes.

She _**did**_ need more protection, and until Bleez could train new people, she had few options; her master had too many spies here, both on the Wisdom and on the surface.

It was better to not put too many more of them in a place where they might have the opportunity to stick a knife in her back.

The fact that it had been Ro who had made the offer swung her opinion on the matter. When she had first told him of her intention to meet with the Pho, to explain to them what was going on in the Empire. Ro had been…understandably concerned, but she would not be dissuaded, in fact, she had been absolutely sure that this was the right choice. Yes, the Pho were pacifists, but that did not mean that they would not offer her enemies support if they thought it might protect their interests.

Plus, there was the terrain of Pholis itself; the planet was basically a giant frozen sea. The Sith controlled the few surface islands, built their bases and facilities there, but the rest of the planet belonged to the Pho, their underwater cities and few float colonies were the main source of civilization and trade on Pholis.

The Sith would have a difficult time invading if it came to that, it was best that they avoid that, if they could.

She decided to err on the side of caution; she would go to them and subtly remind them of who they owed their allegiance to. It might make things better as they progressed.

So she was going, with Ro's volunteers as her guard.

Having accepted her old friend's offer of aid, she had turned to leave, but when she had, he had called out to her, asked something of her that surprised her, something audacious to say the least.

"My lord," he had said, "Would you like to have dinner with me?"

She had paused, a hint of a smile beneath her mask. She turned tilting her head slightly.

"That is a most brazen request, lieutenant," she answered.

She had heard him chuckle.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, my lord," he replied.

His courage surprised her, but at the same time…it flattered her too.

Why not? He was an attractive young man, and she could no longer deny that the old attraction she had felt for him years ago was back and in full bloom.

It was not a marriage proposal, after all, just dinner, and besides…

Desire before duty, young Sith.

"Some Sith would be insulted by such a request," she reminded him, "Some Sith would find your offer beneath them."

"Maybe," he admitted, "But at the same time, some Sith might be impressed with the courage it takes to make such an offer. It might intrigue them."

Avaryss' smile widened.

Yes, she thought to herself, some Sith just might be impressed, flattered by the handsome young lieutenants audacity.

"You will accompany me to Pholis," she informed him, "Perhaps we will…discuss your…courage then."

She continued on, not willing to give him more than that for now. Though she did put a little more sway in her hips, she had not been wearing a cloak and the combat suit she wore showed off more of her figure than normal.

She could feel Ro's eyes on her, he watched her as she left.

_If you want something, lieutenant_, she thought, _are you willing to pursue it?_

Let us find out.

"I noticed that you did not answer my question," he said. He was referring to the dinner invitation of course.

"Your right lieutenant," she said coyly.

"I did not."

She continued to walk way, and he had continued to watch her. Since that moment she had chosen to keep her distance.

She had been coy around him for most of the trip, appearing just long enough to catch a glance of her before disappearing again; it had been a fun game.

She had made the first move…

…now…it was his turn.

They would be arriving on Pholis in an hour, she had already set out a cold weather combat suit and fur-coat to cover it with, she did not wish to scare the seal men by showing up completely dressed for battle. Bleez would be staying behind on the ship to land reinforcements if it became necessary. Ro would have command of his volunteers while Beric and Xen would handle the imperial troops that accompanied them. The Enforcer Chylde was to remain at her side, she would deal with any enemies that Avaryss discovered, Bleez advised her to keep her hands clean unless it was absolutely necessary. She was the High Inquisitor, she was meant to stand above the grunt work.

She checked her reflection one last time before rising from her chair. She could smell the mix of perfume and scented bath oils she had used as she had prepared for this mission.

Your primping had nothing to do with the mission; Keera said flatly, the only reason why you did it is because you hope to entice Ro.

She smiled.

Maybe.

In the meantime, she had one small matter to attend to before heading down to the surface. She had been meaning to speak with Cynn Feer before heading out again.

Now was as good a time as any, she thought, she would finally get a chance to truly speak with her master's daughter.

She was eager to see what she had to say.

IOI

"I trust the accommodations are to your liking?"

Cynn looked up at her, since they had last spoke the girl had been given clean clothes and the chance to eat, rest and bathe. She wore a black unmarked military style uniform of a ship's crew member, the trousers and jacket all fine lines and creases.

Cynn gave her an icy smile.

"I have lived in the most basic of imperial housing since I was nine, my lord," she informed Avaryss.

"Compared to that, this…apartment is a palace.

Avaryss nodded and looked around the room. It could never be called standard military issue that was for sure.

Before she had taken command of the Emperor's Wisdom, its previous captain had used these quarters to house his various mistresses. It had been something of a minor scandal, but no one said anything about it because the man had had friends in high places.

That Captain had been killed early in the new war with the Republic. It was after that that the Wisdom had been put under her direct command, and she had brought in her own choice to skipper the destroyer.

Captain Crix Kannady was old school imperial, he had served in the Imperial navy for almost thirty years. He probably should have been promoted to Admiral long ago, but he had had no patience for the political games that the high officers played. He was also considered too cautious by most Imperials. He was not the type of man to gamble on the battlefield, that caution had cost him several promotions over the years but it had earned him the respect and loyalty of his men.

He also did not engage in frivolous relationships with girls that caught his eye on whatever planet he had visited. This suite had been closed off since he had taken command, and only been reopened now that Avaryss had a guest on board.

Kannady had said nothing about Cynn Feer, he did not know why his lord had her on board, and more importantly he did not think it was his job to know.

Avaryss was pleased; she admired the man's discretion.

If he stayed this course, he would find her the most generous of patrons.

The suite was a place designed for pleasure, thick carpets and a bed large enough to fit four people comfortably. Avaryss had had the artwork that the previous man had had here removed, she found some of the images…disturbing to say the least.

This place had been designed to satisfy a man's pleasure; she wished for to reflect that no longer.

"Why are you here, my lord," the girl asked, "You must realize that any information that I could provide on my family is far out of date."

"True," Avaryss agreed, "But it is not the present that interests me. It is the past that I need to understand."

She smiled gamely.

"That is where you come in."

The girl shrugged.

"If that is how you wish to waste your time, who am I to stop you," she said dismissively.

Avaryss only just suppressed a laugh.

In that moment, the girl had sounded much like her master, and why not?

She was his daughter after all.

Cynn rose from the small chair where she had been sitting, built into the wall was a case filled with some of the finest liquors in the Empire. It was another thing that Avaryss had chosen not to remove.

Cynn shook her head as she took large bottle and poured herself a drink, she offered Avaryss one as well, but the Sith declined.

She was about to be on mission.

She had no desire to dull her senses.

Cynn sniffed the contents before downing it in a quick gulp. She turned to Avaryss and smiled.

"This was the world I was born into," she said morosely, my father was a man on the rise before he had ever mastered two star systems; he knew how to play the game, and which allies to reach out to.

The girl's eyes narrowed, Avaryss felt her temper spike through the Force.

"He also knew how to rid himself of things that hurt his chances for advancement. When he realized that my connection to the Force would never be strong enough, and that I would never be the apprentice and heir he wished me to be, he sent me away. He did not even come to say good bye in person. I simply rose from my bed one morning to find the servants waiting to pack up my things, and that he was sending me off to a private school in Kaas City, a place where I would get the education I needed but not be in a position to muck up his plans."

"Generous of him," Avaryss said.

"Not really," Cynn said with a cold glare, "It was a place where the Empire dumped its refuse, the illegitimate children of admiral and generals, spice addicts, and those that the highborn considered…a problem, children like me."

She shook her head.

"I _**hated**_ it there, after all the things my father had told me for years, about the two of us working side by side to change the Empire, and make it our own. It felt like I had been lied to since the day I was born, that I was never anything more to him but a tool."

Avaryss said nothing. She knew about all the promises that Lord Feer made, he had made them to her as well, and like Cynn, she had bought into them.

No more, she thought.

No more.

"Did he ever try to contact you," Avaryss asked, thought she already suspected that she knew the answer.

"No," Cynn replied, "I tried to reach out to him, to call him on the holo, but my calls were always refused. Then, one day, the code was changed and no one would tell me the new one. No one would tell me how to contact my family, they simply advised me to focus on my studies and try to forget. When I tried to leave the home at fifteen and go back to the estate I was stopped by my father's men. It was made abundantly clear to me that I no longer had a place in my father's world, and that I should be grateful for the scraps that he had given, and not try to cause him any problems."

Bitterness radiated off of her. Her hands clenched into fists.

"He threw me away, and for what? What?"

The blond woman had tears in her eyes, but she did not let them fall, she had likely learned not to over the last decade.

"I can't help the way I was born, my lord, no none can.

Avaryss nodded.

The girl had her sympathies, she truly did, but Avaryss also needed more.

She needed to find out if any affection at all remained Cynn Feer and her family.

"So he let you go," Avaryss said, "AT least you were free to live your life."

Cynn snorted with amusement at her words.

Is that what you think, that I was free? You do know that my father kept men to watch me, to make sure that no one could use me as a tool against him, but it was more than that."

She pursed her lips in disgust.

"Everything that I've done in the last twelve years has been watched and measured. I've had two boyfriends in that time, and none of them had a chance with me. My father's agents made sure that nothing came of my relationships. That I would remain alone and not make any waves for him."

"Really," Avaryss said with a frown, "Why go so far? What was he afraid of?"

Cynn laughed fatalistically.

"Do you know the story of how my father became a lord? It is not likely one he would have repeated I'm sure."

"He never told me," the Sith Lord admitted.

"Unsurprising," Cynn said, "I had to dig a bit myself before I heard the full story, and even some of those facts are suspect. Anyway, it was during the first war with the Republic, the war where we were finally going to avenge ourselves on the Jedi and their lap dogs. Mother was one of the first acolytes to train on Korriban after it had been reclaimed, and she had done well in her training, so good in fact that it got my grandfather's attention. He brought her back to Dromund Kaas, expecting her to be leader. That she would bring glory to our house and make the name of Feer mean something."

Cynn shook her head.

"Mother was more ambitious that my grandfather thought, and she was not the patient sort. Father had been fighting on the front lines, and had only just returned for a visit when he had been introduced to his father's new apprentice."

Cynn gave her a cold smile.

"I think you can guess what happened after that."

"I suppose that I can," Avaryss said.

It was not that hard to figure out.

Her master and Synestra had fallen in love, or perhaps she had simply seduced him, either way, the result was likely the same.

"My grandfather died under…questionable circumstances. My father moved quickly to solidify his hold over all the resources our family had gained in the war. Mother helped him, and through their mutual effort, our house was secured before any of our enemies could act."

Cynn wiped at her face, maybe stopping a tear before it could fall.

"I was born almost six months after my grandfather had died and my father was declared the new Lord Feer. Normally, tradition would have demanded that he slay his father's apprentice, to make sure that she was no threat to his reign, but that did not happen. They were married less than a week after my grandfather died."

Avaryss nodded.

Considering what she knew about the Feers that made a strange kind of sense.

Her master had told her once that he thought Synestra was his soul mate but that their affection had faltered in the coming years. Part of that might have to do with Cynn, but it was also possible that Synestra had simply used her master to rid her of hers.

The wonders of Sith relationships, she thought to herself.

Do you think that Fehl and you would have ended up like that, Keera asked.

Avaryss pursed her lips.

She tried not to think about her first love anymore. Fehl was gone, and that was that.

Besides this was not about her past, this was about Cynn's.

Avaryss needed to know more.

"What of your mother," she asked, "Did she also turn her back on you?"

"My mother," the girl spat, the girl's green eyes flared at the mere mention of the older woman, "She visited me twice at the academy. The first time was to tell me not to try and contact them, and the second was to inform me that she would not be coming back to visit again. How do you tell that to a ten year old, my lord? How do you expect them to understand? All I wanted was my mother! I wanted to go home, only to be told that I couldn't and no matter how much I cried, begged or promised to be better, no one would listen. No one cared."

Avaryss, again, said nothing,

She knew that Synestra Feer kept a single picture of her daughter in her private rooms. Avaryss had seen it, and had asked the lady of the House about it.

_I have no daughter_," Synestra Feer had replied, but the pain in her voice had said otherwise, it had set Avaryss on her quest to locate this girl, and now…she had.

The only question was now, how best to use her.

How could she help Avaryss bring down Darth Feer?

Cynn returned to her seat, but not before pouring herself another drink, she slumped down in her chair and frowned at Avaryss.

"Is that all you need, my lord? Am I free to go now?"

Avaryss smirked at her.

"And where would you go? I will set you free if you ask, but what do you have waiting for you out there? What kind of future do you have planned for yourself?"

Cynn said nothing; she no doubt knew the answer to that question.

"Why do you care about this?" she asked Avaryss, "why does what I went through matter?"

"It matters because your father is clearly afraid of something. If he wasn't he would have either killed you or let you go off and have a life of your own somewhere."

"I know what it is," Cynn hissed, "He is a controlling manipulative bastard."

Avaryss grinned.

He was that, and more, but that was not the answer, oh no."

She licked her lips in anticipation.

Cynn was wrong.

Feer had made a mistake in sending his eldest away, but not for the reason that she thought. Despite the weakness of her connection to the Force, she had still come from two strong Force sensitive parents. Cynn might not have had the gift, but who is to say that her children or grandchildren might not have it one day.

It was not the past that her master feared, but the future.

Any child of Cynn's might have grown to resent his mother's treatment, he or she would grow up hearing stories of how her grandfather robbed her of what was rightfully hers.

Enemies are made in such ways. Feer likely understood that, but still…he had never made a move to remove his daughter from the board. He simply chose to keep her isolated, to prevent her from having any relationships outside of her work.

Foolish of him, she thought, very foolish.

He had been a fool to let her go. Despite the embarrassment, he should have kept he close, ensured that any children born of her would grow up as allies, and not enemies. It would have been a strike against his prestige, but it would have been the smarter move.

So my master does have a weakness, she thought, pleased to have found this one, he had not been willing to pull the trigger and tie up this loose end. Now Avaryss had Cynn and a chance to use her.

It might just be the first step on the road to her **own** freedom. Both she and her master's daughter might just get what they wanted.

Cynn may not have been Force sensitive, but she had been raised around Sith, she knew how they thought.

"Are you going to kill my father?" she asked.

"That is how this usually ends," Avaryss said, "Does that bother you, after all the man has done?"

Cynn shrugged.

"What does my opinion matter? If my father dies you have no further use for me. What does the fate of a dead girl matter to a Sith Lord?"

It didn't, Avaryss thought, but she was not so quick to throw away something that could prove useful.

She would give the matter some thought.

"I don't make it a habit of killing people with useful skills," Avaryss informed her, "My people were watching you for a while, you are not stupid Cynn Feer, nor without skills."

Avaryss smiled as she left the girl.

"We will talk again," she promised.

"I don't suppose you could find me something to do," Cynn said, "Sitting here and drinking is nice and all, but I'm used to doing well…more."

Avaryss laughed.

It would not be hard to find the girl something to do. She had worked in the supply office after all, and right now Avaryss was still trying to make sense of the files she had collected from Les Moor, trying to follow the flow of credits and goods from Danna City.

Dym had agreed to work on it for her, but it never hurt to have an extra set of eyes.

"I will have something sent down for you," she told the other woman.

Cynn nodded.

"Thank you, my lord."

Avaryss nodded and left the suite.

She still had some matters to take care of before they arrived on Pholis.

Business matters or Ro matters, Keera asked.

Avaryss did not reply.

She did not care what Keera thought. Her other-self had been eager to get involved with Ro again, and now she was dragging her feet.

Avaryss did not care.

She wanted what she wanted.

She would have it.

IOI

"We have arrived at our destination, my lord."

Avaryss nodded as she stepped onto the command walkway. Outside of the main viewport floated the planet Pholis, a while ball of a world streaked with the deep grey and blue of its near frozen seas. Like many worlds in this part of space, Pholis had once been a target for pirates, slavers, or anyone else who sought to subjugate or take advantage of the Pho people.

The Empire had changed that.

In exchange for protection, the Sith asked only that the Pho contribute their resources to the needs of the Empire. The deal had held strong for over a thousand years. Pholis' glaciers contained some of the purest fresh water in the galaxy, a necessary export if one wished to continue to maintain both colonies and the war machine that drove the Imperial expansion.

"We have two more warships on our scopes, my lord," Captain Kannady informed her. "_The Aggressor_ and _the Deathstroke_ out of Zahn prime."

Avaryss nodded.

Unsurprising.

"Have they hailed us?" she asked.

They did, and we just received a response," the Captain informed her, "We will be clear to proceed to the planet as soon as the convoy they are protecting is cleared to leave.

"They are here on escort duty?" Avaryss said.

Kannady nodded.

That was surprising.

Both ships were Terminus class destroyers, and both were part of her master's fleet. The war against the Republic continued despite what was happening in the Itae system, the water shipments still needed to reach the troops and bases on the front lines.

Hence the rather powerful escort, too powerful some might say.

Two destroyers were necessary in maintaining the fleet; it was odd to see them wasted as escorts.

She could see the convoy that the two warships were protecting, Standard Sith military carriers. These were early class Terminus vessels that had been replaced by their more modern counterparts, stripped of most of their weapons, their armor now made them perfect for hauling military hardware and supplies to the front lines.

Both were currently in orbit of a Sith space station in orbit of the planet, it was here that the Empire maintained the bulk of their garrison. Pholis was favored its native species over any other, human settlements on the planet proper were few.

The station allowed the Empire to maintain control without needing a massive force on the ground. Its fighters and weapons could be brought to bear against any enemy on the planet, but there had never been any need for that. The Pho were loyal vassals of the Empire.

The Empire had never had any reason to punish them.

Avaryss sighed; she stood next to Kannady with her hands behind her back.

It annoyed her that she needed to wait, but what else could they do.

The freighters were needed they would be…

KRAKOOM!

The Emperor's Wisdom shook, alarms blared as the ship was struck head on. Both Avaryss and Kannady were thrown back by the sudden jolt.

Beyond the main view port one of the freighters was gone. The ship had exploded in its docking cradle, debris and chucks of ice flew everywhere as the shock wave extended outward. The Aggressor had been off the port side of the freighter when it exploded, the shockwave sent the Sith warship tumbling. Its shields had been down and it caught the brunt of the explosion.

It now floated in high orbit, disabled.

Somehow Avaryss managed to find her feet. Alarms continued to wail around her as Kannady cursed under his breath and made his way back to his post.

"REPORT!" the captain shouted, "Someone give me a straight answer!"

Avaryss hissed as she rose to her feet. She did not need to know what had happened.

The Force roiled, she had expected to reach Pholis before the rebellion found traction here, she had hoped to scare the natives back into line and ensure that the rebels were unable to do anything to harm the Empire.

She had hoped to get here first.

She had not been able to do that.

She had been too slow.

Damn it, she thought.

They're here.

**A/N: Hope you are all staying safe and healthy during these strange times. I will continue to post content both to keep you entertained, and my own mind occupied. Next chapter up soon, hope you are all enjoying the third part of Avaryss' journey, until next time, Dear Readers.**

**DG **


	23. The Breach

**Chapter 23: The Breach**

The boarding ship rocked beneath them as the battle rages around them. Through the forward viewport uglies and Sith Starfighter traded blasts and missiles as they dived and pin wheeled around each other in a lethal dance of death.

Avaryss said nothing, she simply stood behind the pilot, her hands behind her back, her feet wide. Her eyes locked on their target, locked on the slow moving freighter that was no longer fast enough to get clear of the battle zone.

The Sith Lord smiled.

Finally, she thought, some answers…and…some blood.

Her smile widened.

She was not sure what excited her more, the former or the latter.

IOI

The destruction of one of the Sith's water transports set off this battle. The explosion had not only damaged the processing station over Pholis itself but also disabled one of its escorts, The Aggressor, the Sith destroyer had been too close to the station when the ship had met its fiery end. The warship was now adrift, no engines and no lights shone from its many viewports.

At least it was maintaining orbit, Avaryss thought, if it had still been approaching the planet when the freighter went it likely would have begun to fall into the atmosphere.

A bit of good luck that, it gave the crew of the Aggressor time, but she suspected that this break was likely the only one they would get today.

A freighter destroyed. Its valuable cargo lost, and she, the Inquisitor of the Itae system had been right here when it happened.

She pursed her lips.

Someone was going to answer for this.

They would answer with their lives!

The remaining convoy vessels were forming up trying to clear the wreckage of the destroyed ship. Debris from both the ship and the damaged station floated around them like a mine field. The remaining ships moved in closer to the planet, taking shelter behind the other Sith warship in orbit. A ship that was even now moving to defend the convoy.

Meanwhile, the freighter wreckage continued to break up. Chunks of ice floated clear of the station either to begin to orbit the planet, or fall into the atmosphere where they would evaporate.

_It had all happened so fast_. Avaryss shook her head as she remained at the side of Captain Kannady, the Emperor's Wisdom's skipper.

Kannady called out to the various operations officers on the bridge, each shouting back reports, giving the captain a better idea of what was going on out there.

Avaryss said nothing, this was Kannady's arena, and the tough old officer did not need her getting in his way right now. He had over thirty years of experience under his belt, compared to that, her command experience was laughable, at least in an emergency like this. Her understanding of space combat and responding to situations such as this was limited.

She was more than willing to leave the handling of this matter to him. If Kannady needed her help, he would ask for it.

She looked out over the chaos with a mix of anger and disbelief.

It had all happened so fast.

There had been no time, Avaryss thought, the Force had barely rippled before the explosion had taken place. She was not sure what to make of all that.

Had the Force not registered what was going to happen, or had she been too distracted to feel it.

She feared that all the recent distractions she had faced were to blame, that she was to blame.

She cursed under her breath.

Her master would not be pleased.

It was possible that the freighter's destruction was an accident, but if that was the case. Why was the other destroyer deploying fighters? She could make out the flash of their drive trails, even as far off as they were.

The Deathstroke was already launching its fighters. Kannady had hailed them, but they had received no response yet. Through the debris and bodies from the freighter, you could just make out two more ships, possibly light freighters. It looked like they were fleeing the space station. She was about to mention it to her captain when he beat her to the punch. He shouted to the comm officers.

No ships would be leaving this system until they got this mess straightened out. Those freighters were to power down and await instructions.

No response came from the comm officer, and the freighters continued to move. They were trying to clear the planet's gravity well so that they could make a safe jump to hyperspace. They were now too far away for the Deathstroke's fighters to catch up to them, but the same could not be said for the Emperor's Wisdom.

Kannady gave the helm officer a new course heading. He was going to put the Wisdom between the freighters and their exit vector.

They were not going anywhere.

"My lord?"

Avaryss looked over, Kannady's cool grey eyes held her in their grip, a slender man with a hook nose, the man radiated the power of a lifelong military officer, and even she was tempted to stand at attention when he addressed her.

"Yes, Captain," she replied.

"Permission to take command of our military forces over Pholis, if this was not an accident; then we must be prepared for more possible enemy actions."

Avaryss swallowed hard.

As a Darth she technically the highest ranking Imperial on the field right now. It was within her rights to take full command of this operation, if she chose to.

"Permission granted," she said with a curt nod, "Bring us victory, captain."

The older man nodded and quickly began barking orders.

Well you're committed now, Keera said; if things go bad, it is you that will likely get the blade.

Avaryss tried to ignore her.

It was not like she had had much choice, this was a fluid situation.

They needed to act fast.

Word would be sent to both the station and _the Deathstroke_. The warship was to stand by to assist _the Aggressor_ its fighters were to aid in clearing out the debris from the station, and ensuring its safety. Once that was done…

"Captain," one of the pit officers shouted, "We have an unidentified contact off our stern."

"Bring us about ninety degrees," he shouted back, "put us and as many guns as we can muster on both those freighters and this new contact. All fighter crews to station…launch when ready."

The Emperor's Wisdom began its slow turn, Pholis vanished from the main view port as the both the freighters and the unknown vessels not approached from both the port and starboard side.

Captain Kannady and his first officer made for the bridge holo-tank, Avaryss followed beside them. The holographic image of Pholis now appeared before them. They could see both the planet and the various ships in play.

Avaryss watched as the ship's sensors locked onto the new contact. It appeared to be a heavy freighter three times the size of the light vessels that were even now speeding away from the planet.

Raise shields," Kannady shouted, "Battle stations!"

On the holo-tank the heavy freighter's bow opened up.

Three squadrons of Starfighters launched against the Emperor's Wisdom. The ships deflectors flashed as they were struck by both laser blasts and missile strikes.

"All batteries fire," Kannady ordered, "All fighters are clear to engage!"

Avaryss watched eagerly.

The battle of Pholis had begun.

The heavy freighter held its position; it did not try to advance any further. Its fighters moved in quickly trying to overwhelm the Wisdom's shields. A fleet of uglies, fighters cobbled together from spare parts of other ships, the enemy engaged the Sith fighters while trying to stay out of range of the Wisdom's cannons.

The ship shook beneath them, missile strikes from some of the heavier uglies.

Captain Kannady did not panic, he calmly issued orders. The fighters were to engage the enemy but still hold the defensive screen of their capital ship. Meanwhile the two light freighters continued to advance, perhaps hoping to use the chaos around them to slip by undetected.

They would have no such luck, Avaryss thought.

The crews of those ships likely knew what had happened on the station.

She intended to have that information.

Those ships would not get away.

"I want those freighters disabled," she said pointing into the holo-tank. Task some fighters to attack, target shields and engines only."

She would not allow the enemy to slip past. If they _**were**_ rebels they likely would know more about the threat that now threatened the Itae system.

They would tell her everything they knew.

Kannady complied with her order with a single word of protest. He had served the Sith long enough not to question a direct order from a dark lord.

Avaryss watched as the battle played out before her. A single Sith squadron broke off from the battle to engage the enemy.

The freighters opened fire as soon as they came into range. One of the Sith ships winked out, destroyed.

_So much for them being innocent_, Keera murmured.

I never expected them to be innocent, Avaryss thought.

At least now, I know that they deserve Sith justice.

She smiled.

She looked forward to…educating them on what the Empire did to their enemies.

As they watched one of the freighters slowed, the ship began to tumble. It engines were likely offline.

Avaryss shivered with anticipation, the dark side reached out to her, offering her its power, asking only that she give in and let her rage and hate flow.

She did not resist this time.

The rebels had embarrassed her twice on Oridanna.

She would not allow them to do so here.

She looked at the image of the damaged freighter like it was a meal waiting to be devoured.

"Captain Kannady," she said, "Prepare a boarding party."

She turned and made for the turbo-lift. The first officer was already conferring with one of his underlings, sending word to prepare a breach ship.

By the time she arrived, her troops would be assembled. She pulled out her comlink, summoning Holli and Beric. Ro would likely wish to accompany her and the Enforcer Chylde as well.

Her heart was beating faster already; her blood and adrenalin were pumping.

It will be battle, she thought eagerly.

I can almost taste the blood.

IOI

"What are your orders, my lord?"

Avaryss could barely hear her. She was playing mental games, psyching herself up for the combat to come.

Her vision was red around the edges, her desire for blood growing with each beat of her heart.

KILL! KILL!

MAIM! MAIM!

KILL! KILL!

MAIM! MAIM!

She looked out the viewport, her eyes focused on the damaged ship.

You will answer for what you have done today, she thought.

You will suffer!

"My lord?"

Avaryss took a deep breath, tried to hold the beast at bay.

"Prisoners," she hissed in a husky voice, "I want prisoners."

Prisoners, yes, the dark side whispered, prisoners to scream and be tortured. Prisoners so that you can peel the flesh from their bones!

"Yes," she murmured.

"Oh Yes!"

It was rare that she was able to simply cut loose and let the dark side flow unchecked.

She looked down at Holli; her old friend could likely see the shimmer in her eyes.

Holli had been with her longer than any of her other servants. She knew what her master was capable of.

And what of Ro," Keera asked, "Are you so eager to let him see the howling psychopath in you come clawing out?"

Avaryss pursed her lips.

A male Sith would not be afraid of seeing her give into the dark side's full might. If he did…?

She sighed.

If he did…perhaps he would not be so eager to dine with her.

The thought made her growl.

Now is not the time for romance and thinking of paramours, the dark side whispered, the time of the blade has come. It is the time of pain and death!

She glanced over at Ro, he noticed, and met her gaze; she quickly looked away and down. She cursed herself for being a fool, hating herself for that moment of weakness.

Love is an attachment; it is a chain that drags you down.

She knew that to be true, but at the same time.

_Was love not passion?_

_Through passion I gain strength._

_Through strength I gain power._

_Through power I gain victory._

She sighed.

Sometimes the Sith teaching were…contradictory.

It was the Jedi that feared attachments. They considered them dangerous, the so called path to the dark side. Why should a Sith fear them?

The dark path was the only true path to power.

_He won't know what to think when he sees you in battle_," Keera said. "He won't understand."

"_Are you sure that you are ready for him to see that?" _

_Avaryss sighed._

_Well, she thought, he will see it whether he is ready or not._

_Hopefully, he would understand._

The ship continued to draw closer. The freighter floated before them. Avaryss had seen the type before at the Kaas City spaceport. The ship was a standard light freighter, three or four decks, and a crew of twenty or so.

Twenty corpses, the dark side whispered.

A shiver of anticipation ran down her spine.

The Pho still needed to be reassured; this attack would do little to do that.

Of course, they might change their minds when she dumped the heads of these traitors on the floor of their assembly.

They would see how far the Sith would go to protect their holdings.

It might be just what she needed to keep the seal men inline.

The ship thumped loudly as it connected to the freighter's hull, behind her, Avaryss heard her troops drawing their weapons; Xen and Chylde were at her side. The former Jedi held her cross guard lightsaber in her hand, a hungry smile on her pretty face.

The Twi'lek enforcer grasped her lightsaber with both hands; the hilt was longer than a traditional blade. Through the Force the girl radiated with…well…Avaryss was not quite sure what she was sensing.

"Is it a party," she said in a voice more suited to a little girl than a grown woman.

"After a fashion," Avaryss replied, trying to understand what she was sensing, according to Hissa the girl was one of the few enforcers who was not inside Darth Sadi's pocket.

Avaryss was determined to see her end up in hers.

"Will people die?" the green skinned female asked.

Avaryss nodded.

Chylde giggled the tips of her head tails twitched excitedly.

"Blood will flow like wine, entrails will become streamers!"

The Twi'lek smiled widely, showing a set of white shiny fangs.

"Have you ever tried ice cream, ice cream with sprinkles?"

Avaryss frowned.

She did not know what ice cream was, and even if she did she did not have time to discuss it.

The ship had achieved hard lock; one of the troopers stepped forward, setting charges ready to blow lock.

She gripped her lightsaber tightly, preparing for what was to come, the sweet, sweet slaughter.

"Are you okay?"

She looked over her shoulder, Ro stood there.

He should know better than to interrupt a Sith before battle, but…

She took a deep breath, pushed the rage back.

"Stay close to Commander Holli, Lieutenant," she ordered, "As soon as we have cleared out the crew, the computers will need to be downloaded. Make sure that she is not interrupted."

He nodded.

"We will do our part, my lord," he promised, "We Oridannans know how to fight."

"I know," she said with a sly smile, "Outsiders fight hard, farm kids learn to play harder."

He chuckled.

"That we do," he agreed, "Especially, for those of us that grew up around Orid."

Her smile widened.

That was true.

Ro Wilkes fell back as the entry port began to smoke, Avaryss turned her attention forward, and she let her bloodlust flow free.

Here we go, she thought with a predatory grin.

It was time to feed the darkness.

A loud boom shook the ship as the airlock blew in. Smoke filled the chamber blinding anyone within.

Avaryss lit her blade and leapt forward, her apprentice and enforcer at her side.

She heard voices, shouting for them to freeze.

Avaryss ignored them.

Dead men, she thought.

You are all dead men!

A human wielding a heavy blaster stood in her way. He raised his weapon, but to one so lost in the power of the dark side, he might as well have been unarmed.

She did not bother engaging him. She reached out with the Force.

The man flew into the air and struck the overhead bulk head…hard. She heard something crack as he struck but had no time to finish him off. Blaster fire rang out from behind him, a collection of humans, Rodians and Weequay.

All wore armor with some type of symbol on their arms and chests. Outlaws, she thought pirates or gang members.

She grinned.

It did not matter, they would all fall.

She stood back and deflected their blasts with Shien. While she did, Chylde and Xen darted forward. They moved like a shadows, blurs wielding blades of red flame. Shouts of defiance quickly turned to cries of terror cut short into gurgling gasps of death.

Avaryss smiled hungrily

So far so good.

She heard a moan overhead, the man she had caught at the start was still stuck to bulkhead above her.

She spun her blade, disemboweling him as she moved on. She let him fall without a single glance back. What did it matter, he was dead.

The dead were best forgotten.

Her troops fanned out behind her as they cleared the airlock. They found themselves in the ships main hangar. Blaster fire rang out as outlaws traded blasts with Sith troopers. Xen went with Beric as he made his way to secure the engine room. Avaryss made her way forward, eager to secure the captain and anyone else of importance. The ship's crew tried to block her path again; they fired on her only to have their bolts sent back. One of them did get lucky and tossed a grenade, she stopped it in midair, but it still exploded, the flash left her blind.

A flash bang!

Avaryss snarled and fell back weaving her blade defensively.

She was blind, her eyes burned like they were on fire!

Since her student years her eyes had been left extremely sensitive to bright light.

She blinked and shook her head, the Force was still with her though, and it prevented any of her enemies from landing a fatal blow.

Her eyes burned, tears flowed freely. She had not had time to engage the light filters in her mask.

Do not give into the pain; use it, the darkness whispered.

There is no pain where the power lies.

The pain fueled her anger, despite her blindness she leapt forward. The Force showed her where her enemies were. Her blade flashed out, striking down, one, two, and then three of her enemies.

As one fell, she grabbed him with her left hand. She called on the dark side and drew his life energy into her. The pain lessened, her vision was still a little blurry, but that might have had more to do with her tears rather than her than the effect of the flashbang.

She watched as the man's body crumbled away, and found herself facing a pale green skinned Rodian, two short dueling swords in his hands.

She smiled beneath her mask.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked dryly.

The Rodian did not answer with words.

He attacked.

He got inside her guard, stabbing and slashing viciously. He was fast, not as fast as a Force sensitive, but still quite fast.

His blade caught a glancing blow beneath her breast plate, as she fell back he caught her across the left thigh, the cut was not deep but it did leave her stumbling.

Avaryss cursed under breath.

Once upon a time she would not have feared a non-Force sensitive swordsman, but ever since she had lost her arm, her skill with the blade was not as…crisp as it had once been.

She had trained hard, regained much of her former skill, but she was still not as sharp as she had once been.

The weakness sickened her.

She snarled, letting her anger fuel her power, she pushed the Rodian back. He once again tried to get inside her guard.

She fell back again tumbling out of his reach. He swung at her head, as she pirouetted away from his strike.

The two ended up facing each other again, both had blades at the ready.

"You're good," she purred with an eager grin.

He started to advance.

She reached out with the Force catching him in a Force grip. The Rodian gasped, his snout forming into an o-shaped hole as she began to choke him. The Force tightened around his throat like a garrote.

He did not give up; he threw one of his blades at her head. She blocked it with her lightsaber, he stumbled back his fingers at his throat; he struggled as he tried to free himself from her grip.

Too late, she thought with dark satisfaction. Too late! Now I will…

"KEERA LOOK OUT!"

Ro's voice shook her from her revelry, the Force screamed danger as she whirled around. An ugly human with a tattooed face stood before her, a wicked looking dagger in his hand.

She snarled in fury.

If Ro had not called out, she would have been stuck in the back!

She would have…

Her eyes widened.

The Rodian!

She did not waste any more time. She blasted the human with Force lightning, he flew back dropping his weapon. The Rodian, free from her grip, lunged in with his remaining blade.

Avaryss did not even bother turning, she brought her blade around and blocked his attack. The cortosis weave of the blade hissed as it struck her lightsaber.

Before he could recover she whirled around, catching the alien by the throat, her metal fingers tightened around his windpipe.

The anger was upon her, she did not have time to play anymore.

She tightened her grip. Her metal fingers dug deep into his throat, she did not stop until blood was flowing down her fingers, darkening her sleeve. She did not let go until the swordsman stopped squirming, and when he did she flung him down hard.

She sneered down at the body, a most satisfying kill.

More, the darkness within her whispered.

I want…_**MORE!**_

She wiped her hand on the dead Rodian's tunic. As she did she looked down and saw the dagger that the human had tried to use on her.

She frowned.

The weapon felt…strange. The Force flowed strangely around the blade.

She reached out for it with her human hand.

"I wouldn't do that?"

She jumped; once again, Ro was at her side, he was quite stealthy for one so big. He gingerly picked up the dagger by the hilt, his eyes narrowed.

He sniffed the blade.

"Kuba venom," he informed her, "It is a neurotoxin, a strong one. A Nasty way to go, a single cut and you will die screaming and frothing at the mouth within an hour."

He shook his head.

"He did not cut you did he?"

She shook her head.

"Good," he said, "A minor scratch would not kill outright, but it would leave you brain dead within fifteen minutes if you were lucky."

He gave her a sick look.

"As I said, it is a nasty way to go."

She nodded, as Ro pulled the sheath from the man's belt, he took the blade and slid it back inside.

He handed her the dagger, she took it and put it on her belt.

An interesting weapon, she thought.

It could prove useful…

She smiled.

...Much like Ro Wilkes himself.

"I did not know you knew about poisons," she said.

"One of the former southern landowners hired an assassin to kill Imperial officers that claimed his land a while back, he liked Kuba venom. I saw several bodies, got used to the smell."

"Lucky me," she said, "I just..."

Avaryss paused; it was in that moment that she remembered the fight. She remembered what Ro had shouted when the man had come up behind her.

_Keera,_ she thought.

_He called me Keera! _

She looked at him; he must have guessed what she was thinking, because he looked down. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but he might have blushed.

"What did you call me?" she asked.

He shrugged. His expression turned nervous, almost shy.

"Your name…I guess. Considering how you responded, I'm guessing that I was right."

He managed a weak smile.

"You're alive," he said, "I had always hoped, but…

"Praise the Emperor! You're alive."

She blinked, grateful for the mask she was wearing. He could not see the shock on her face.

"You know?" she said.

He shrugged again.

"I had a suspicion, but…I was not sure, not until this moment."

He smiled shyly.

"It is you, isn't Keera? You're alive?"

She winced. She was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

How did he know?

How had he figured it out?

The sound of battle drew them back from their conversation. Two men emerged with blasters drawn.

Before they could recover Chylde was there, the Twilek slashed with her lightsaber, its blade was shorter than a standard blade, its hilt thinner, thin enough that she could spin it like a baton.

The outlaws died quick.

The Twi'lek giggled and pranced around happily.

"Such a party, mother," she said to Avaryss, "All we need now is the ice cream!"

Avaryss frowned.

"Make sure that you do not kill all of them girl. I still want prisoners."

The green skinned creature laughed and gave her an exaggerated bow.

She pranced away with her lightsaber in hand, off to hunt down more victims.

The dark lord rolled her eyes.

She now knew why Sadi had not collared this one.

She was not right in the head. She was unstable, possibly insane!

The Sith Lord would need to watch her very, very carefully, and that was not all.

Roan Wilkes knew who she was, how he found out, she couldn't say.

She shook her head.

Damn.

"We need to talk," she said.

"Sounds like a good idea," he agreed.

The sound of blasters once again drew their attention, this time towards the front of the ship, likely close to the bridge.

Avaryss sighed.

"Later," she said, heading towards the sounds of battle.

"Yeah," she heard him say as he followed in her wake.

Later.


	24. The gift

**Chapter 24: The Gift**

The two holograms shimmered before her, one an imperial officer standing straight and proud, and the other a robed figure sitting on a throne.

Avaryss frowned as she stared down at the holo-plate in her quarters. This message had been waiting for her, having been recorded less than an hour ago.

The content came at no surprise.

So much for her order for there to be _**no**_ communications until after the matter on Pholis was resolved, she thought.

_Glasc…__**damn**__ that man!_

She had only just returned from the interrogation suites. She had neither ate nor slept, for almost three days; now she was functioning on nothing but her will and the power of the Force. The battle over Pholis had ended nine hours ago. She had barely had time to meditate and refresh her mind before word had reached her that her prisoners were ready to be questioned. The Sith had managed to capture nine prisoners, five from the freighter that Avaryss had boarded, and four fighter pilots whose craft had been disabled.

The rest had fled into hyperspace, the carrier had collected what few fighters remained and retreated. It had been no match for two Sith destroyers. The two freighters that had aided in the destruction of the Sith's water transport had both been disabled. The one she had boarded was now being examined by Sith intelligence officers, the other was destroyed; its shell was now just wreckage orbiting Pholis.

We won the day, Avaryss thought, but she suspected that they could expect little more than that. The prisoners that had survived the battle were mostly common thugs and crewers. They knew little about the motivations of those that hired them.

_We will get little out of this scum_, she thought glumly. _These men and women weren't real rebels; they were guns for hire, a pirate gang that had been hired through a go-between to destroy a ship in orbit of Pholis._

She had interrogated that freighter's captain herself. It had been a successful endeavor…mostly. It was rare that she got to enjoy the art of…information extraction. The memory of her own interrogation after the death of her first love back on Korriban usually killed any joy she found in the act.

Today, however, she had felt nothing. Her anger at the embarrassment she had been suffering at the hands of these rebels ensured that she did not lose focus. She had indulged every dark impulse she had, and in the process extracted a name that might prove useful going forward. It should have been enough, but it seemed that Glasc did not care, and he had went running to her master.

The dark lord shook her head.

She was not surprised…just annoyed.

Her temper continued to burn.

"Your apprentice's response to this situation leaves much to be desired, my lord," Colonel Glasc said with disdain.

The man sneered coldly.

"It is my opinion that she lacks the commitment for her current post."

Darth Feer laughed; his white teeth shone, even in the holo-field, his golden eyes glittering from beneath his heavy cowl.

"What would you have had her do, Colonel Glasc," the dark lord inquired, "Should she have blasted all of Pholis for what happened? Should we have sacrificed such a valuable world just to make a point?"

Feer smirked at the mere thought of the idea.

"I'm sure Avaryss is doing what she feels is necessary, but if that should change…I'm confident that you, one of my most loyal of servants, will inform me straight away."

The loyalty officer stood a littler straighter, basking in his master's slight praise.

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

_The fool_, she thought; _if Feer truly had any real respect or affection for him he would not have put him in such a precarious position, spying on a dark lord, not the safest job in the galaxy._

She pursed her lips in disgust.

If the man was not careful, he would find out just how precarious his situation truly was.

For the moment his family name and powerful relatives protected him, but…there was more than one way to skin a nerf.

Accidents **did** happen.

She looked down at the dagger she had recovered during the fight on the enemy ship. Ro had been right about the neuro toxin coating the blade.

She had decided to keep it. It was a spoil of war.

Who knew…it might just prove useful.

She pulled the weapon from its sheath and looked hungrily at the blade; she imagined cutting Glasc with it, watching his painful end. She tried to imagine using it on her master, but she just couldn't see it.

She sighed.

When Darth Feer did die, it would not be from the cut of a simple dagger. It would be something far more…dramatic.

And I will be there when it happens, Avaryss thought.

I will _**make**_ it happen!

It would happen, she had foreseen it.

It would be done.

She returned her attention to the conversation between her master and Colonel Glasc.

She did not have time for day dreams right now.

She required actions.

"Avaryss' response as Inquisitor has been…half-hearted, my lord," Glasc continued, "She was sent to crush the rebellion in this system, and so far all she has done is travel around and speak with people. She has done nothing to deal with the criminals hiding in our midst."

"I take it that you feel that brute force is a better answer here?" Feer inquired.

The loyalty officer nodded.

"There are many settlements on Oridanna and Pholis that the Empire does not require; she could have made an example of any of them. She could have shown these peasants that the Empire will not tolerate this talk of succession. She could have left the scarred ruins as an example for good and all. _The Emperor's Wisdom_ has more than enough firepower to carry out such an action."

"Brute force is not the only way to deal with an enemy, Colonel," Feer reminded him, "Subtlety can be a useful tool if properly applied."

"Subtlety is often overrated in my book, my lord," Glasc added, "These are troubling times; examples serve best when dealing with the rabble."

They do indeed, Avaryss thought leaning back in the chair.

Glasc had no idea that she had bugged his personal hyper-comm; he likely didn't know that she was aware that he had one. He had taken measures to ensure his privacy, but those were for naught. The officer that was over the Wisdom's scanning crews did not really exist. He was simply Commander Holli in disguise, the changeling was more that capable of handling both her own duties and the requests of men like Glasc.

Avaryss smiled.

She wondered what the loyalty officer would say if he knew how she had outplayed him. Her master would have likely applauded her cunning.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared down at the hologram of the loyalty officer, her temper barely contained by her will.

Perhaps she **should** make an example of Glasc, to show the various spies and informers on _The Emperor's Wisdom_ the price of informing on her to another Sith, even one that she called master.

_It would be so easy_, she thought, _satisfying too._

Her temper continue to rise, the urge to march straight up to Glasc and crush his windpipe with the Force while everyone else watched was almost impossible to resist.

She shuddered and took a deep breath

It would be satisfying, but it would also be counterproductive.

No, she thought.

Glasc still had his uses.

She tried to focus on that.

_Coward,_ Keera hissed from her place in the back of Avaryss' mind.

The dark lord snarled her fury still very close to bubbling over.

"Be silent," she spat out loud.

"Save your commentary for someone who cares."

Keera quieted as Avaryss continued to watch her master's conversation with his pawn.

How much longer, she wondered, how much longer will I have to tolerate this, how much longer will I have to continue playing the role of the loyal apprentice?

She had no answer, and that lack of answers made her temper burn that much brighter.

Her fingers curled into angry fists.

She had just about had enough of Darth Feer and his games.

"I still do not see why Darth Marr saw fit to make her a Darth," Glasc said.

"He had his reasons," Feer said dismissively, "It is not a choice that I would have made, but it has been done, so now I make the best of it."

Feer leaned in, she felt his gaze harden as he looked down upon the loyalty officer, it might have been her imagination, but Avaryss thought she saw the man cringe.

"It is not for you to question such things, Glasc," Feer warned him, "Avaryss is Sith; how she has risen is no concern of yours."

"I mean no disrespect, lord councilor," he added quickly, "I merely wonder if your apprentice's ascension was too soon. It should have been **your **choice to elevate her, **not** Darth Marr."

Feer sighed and leaned back.

"Too early or not, it was done," Feer said, "I do not doubt she would have achieved such a goal in time, how could she not?"

The dark lord chuckled.

"I _**made**_ Avaryss, Glasc. It was I that lifted her up and let her join the Sith in the first place. It was I that guided her training from afar. It was I that saved her when she should have died on Korriban. All that she is, all that she has, and may yet become is because of me. It is because I made her. She is mine."

Avaryss hissed as she listened to her master's boast, his claim that she was and always would be his.

You know nothing, my master, she thought.

And one day…you will be nothing!

"She hates you, my lord," Glasc said, "I can see it in her eyes, the way she speaks about you when she thinks that you cannot hear."

The loyalty officer pursed his lips; he looked upon his master with concern.

"She would kill you if she thought she would get away with it."

Of course I would, Avaryss thought, that is the way of things.

Master versus apprentice…when the time was right, that was the way of things.

The way it had always been.

"Of course she wants me dead," Feer replied, "But it is not out of hatred, not fully anyway. Avaryss craves my power that is as it should be. Her desire is what gives her **her** passion; it is what makes her superior!"

Feer smiled fondly.

"My dear child will challenge me one day, and on that day, she will lose. She will do so because she is mine, and as you said she is not ready to be a Darth, she had the potential, but not the will. She will never surpass me. She will never…"

"_**ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!"**_

Avaryss had heard enough.

She leapt from the chair and flipped the hyper-comm over, the recording glitched and began to repeat.

"She will never…"

"She will never…"

"She will never…"

**HISSSSSSSS!**

Avaryss' lightsaber was in hand and ignited, she chopped at her master's image, and it vanished in flash of smoke and sparks.

Avaryss turned her eyes wild with rage and hate! The exhaustion and frustration of the last few days had been too much, far too much!

She had had enough!

She started towards the door. She would go to Colonel Glasc's quarters and kill him. If anyone tried to stop her, they would die. If anyone found themselves in her path, they would die. If anyone even looked at her the wrong way they would die! She would…

"AVY STOP!"

Keera's voice penetrated the haze of red and hate, but Avaryss did not even acknowledge her.

She would not be stopped now.

She would…

"AVY!"

She reached for the door control, as soon as it opened the guards outside would die, they would be just the first, she would cut a bloody path to the loyalty officer's quarters she would…

"STOP!"

Keera reached out, her strength increased by the rage and hate of her other half. Avaryss tried to shrug her off, to push her back down where she belonged, but Keera would not be denied.

She seized control of Avaryss' hand, the two fought for control…

…and then it happened.

AGONY!

Avaryss cried out and sank to her knees. Her lightsaber fell from her grip. She clutched her head with both hands, but the pounding continued. She could not move, she could barely think.

No, she thought.

_No. No._

_NO!_

_I won't stop! _

_I WON'T!_

_GO AWAY! _

_LEAVE ME ALONE!_

_LEAVE ME…_

Another spike of pain went through her brain, she fell whimpering to the ground.

Everything spun away.

She was falling.

Darkness rose up to claim her.

Darkness…and sweet oblivion!

Stop, the voice in the back of her head cried out, but it was fading…fast.

Stop.

Avaryss said nothing, she could not speak, and she couldn't move.

She no longer wished to.

The pain was too great.

The darkness rose up and buried her.

Cold.

Sweet.

Oblivion

And then…

…nothing.

IOI

She was not sure how long she lay there, how much time had passed.

The chime on her door beeped again and again, drawing her back from the nothingness, back from the shadow.

She sat up and shook her head.

What, she thought to herself.

What…what happened?

She looked around, feeling…strangely disconnected. She knew this place, knew that it was hers, and what had almost happened.

She blinked and shook her head, trying to clear it.

The pain was gone, and with it…something else.

"Avy," she said under her breath.

No response.

"Avy? Can you hear me?"

Again…nothing.

She blinked.

What happened, she thought.

What is going on?

Keera rose to her feet rubbing her temples with her fingers. She felt…strange, but at the same time…better that she had in a while.

She looked at the mirror in her quarters. She saw only her reflection there. She had expected to see Avaryss' ghoulish face and breathing mask staring back at her, but it was not there.

It was gone.

She let out a shuddering breath.

Avaryss was gone.

She took a wobbly step and almost fell, just managing to catch herself before she took a nose dive into the deck. It…it had been a long time since Keera had had her head to herself, that she did not have to fight Avaryss for control, to wait to be let out, or fight her way to the surface and take control.

It felt…strange. She was not used to the silence.

"Avy?" she repeated out loud.

"Avy are you there?"

"Keera?"

She heard the voice, it whispered through her mind, but it was not the cold Dromund Kaas accented tones of Avaryss, no this was different.

Someone was reaching out to her through the Force.

"I hear you," she said, "Who is there?"

She sensed amusement.

You are so close now, sweetheart; so very close."

She could almost see the image of a smiling face; she could sense the joy through the connection they now shared.

"You have finally freed yourself, dear, and now you must come to me. I'm waiting. We are waiting."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you," she asked, "Where do you want me to go?"

"Come home, Keera. You are needed. She needs your help."

Again she felt a flash of joy.

"Come home, Keera. Come home."

Keera Lylos shook her head.

She…she thought she recognized that voice. But she could not be sure; it had been such a long time.

"Mother?" she called out.

"Mother? Can you hear me?"

There was no answer, the connection was gone.

Keera shivered.

She was alone, but for that one moment…it…it had felt like…

She swallowed hard; her mouth was suddenly very dry...

Impossible, she thought.

My mother is dead, she died years ago.

Yet, she heard something…someone that had sounded like.

The door chimed again and again.

Keera looked over, her confusion finally clearing, she was in total control.

"Yes?" she called out trigger the door comm.

"What is it?"

"Lord Avaryss," a familiar voice answered, "It is Bleez, my lord."

Keera shook her head, waiting for Avaryss to emerge and respond.

She did not.

Keera blinked.

I…I guess I'm Avaryss now too, she thought.

How messed up is that?

"Yes, Warmaster," she said, "What is it?"

"Your transport is ready to take you down to the surface, my lord," Bleez informed her, "Your…gift for the Pho Assembly is ready as well, and it is stored in the cargo hold, awaiting its delivery."

The Warmaster chuckled.

"I assumed that you would wish to deliver this particular gift yourself."

Keera nodded.

Yes, she remembered now.

Avy had had something special planned for the Pho. Something to remind them that they were still vassals of the Empire, and that their continued cooperation was still needed.

She took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

It was not the kind of gift that she would have chosen, but she saw the value in what it would mean when the Pho leaders saw it. She could have told Bleez to forget it and leave it behind, but at the same time.

She knew the value of symbolic gestures, and this one was sure to show the seal men that the Empire meant business.

I'll play this the way that you would Avy," Keera murmured to herself, "Then we will see just what our Pho allies think of our commitment to their continued safety.

Keera did not hesitate. Avaryss had already dressed in her robes and cloak. She used the force to summon her helmet and mask. Keera would have rather not worn it at all, but it was what the Pho would likely expect.

The mask had become Avaryss' face; it was one the Pho would be expecting.

She would not disappoint them.

She snapped the helmet in place and secured the mask. Once again, she expected Avaryss to try and reassert control, but again she did not.

Keera's thoughts were her own; no other voice rose up to complain or try to regain control.

Is it over, she wondered.

Was Avaryss truly gone for good?

If so, then she was truly free. Free! All that Avaryss had was now hers to do with as she saw fit. The mission was now hers.

She found the prospect…a bit daunting.

Avaryss had had a cold way of looking at the world. She had kept her apprentices and underlings at arm's length.

Was that the best way of doing things, or should Keera try something new…something more fitting with what she believed to be right?

She thought about the strange contact she had felt through the Force. She would need to find out who had done it. She would need to find out where to go, but first, she needed to reassure Avy's allies that nothing had changed.

First, she had to accept the fact that in the eyes of others, she was Avaryss.

She could not afford to wait for Avy to return.

She had to be…Avaryss.

She took another deep breath, and made for the door, her cloak swishing behind her.

I can do this, Keera Lylos thought.

I am a Dark Lord of the Sith!

I am now…Darth Avaryss.

She smiled beneath her mask.

It was time to find out just what that meant.

IOI

The Pho Assembly had offered to meet her on the Sith space station in orbit, they had offered to come to her.

Avaryss had declined.

If they wished to meet with her on the station, she would go to the surface. The seal men needed to learn that it was she that had the final say in such matters. That she stood above them and that they would meet her on her terms and her terms alone.

Keera did nothing to change that plan. She simply sat in her seat aboard the shuttle as they broke through Pholis' atmosphere and began their final approach to the capital city.

She looked out the nearest viewport. The shuttle broke through the clouds revealing the glacier covered landscape that was Pholis.

She smiled.

It was an amazing sight to be sure.

Though they could move on land, the Pho were an aquatic species by nature, their bodies perfectly adapted to live comfortably in the planets frozen seas. Most Pho settlements were under water villages and towns. Their people divided into twenty eight separate clans that shared power, and maintained a sense of peace among the populace.

Not peace, Keera reminded herself, order.

Peace was a lie, there was only passion.

In the past, the Pho had often been the target of aggressive outsiders. Pirates and raiders had preyed on the seal men, forcing them to pay tribute or suffer the consequences. The coming of the Empire had changed all that. The Empire had brought opportunity to Pholis. The Empire had brought the Pho a chance to stand among their galactic peers, and not have to worry about being taken advantage faceless aggressors.

All the Sith had asked in return was that the Pho provide them with fresh water for their worlds and war machines. Pholis could have ended up as another supply world, but that had not happened. The imperials had developed a taste for Pho culture, the seal men's cuisine, music, and art could be found on many worlds in the Sith Empire.

They may not have been Sith, but the Pho were respected, they provided a necessary service. They were a resource that the Empire had come to depend on.

It now fell to Keera to make sure that they understood that.

Rebellion would not be tolerated.

Today, she would make sure they understood that.

"We are approaching the capital city, my lord," the pilot informed her. She nodded and came up beside him.

The sight that greeted her was a wonder to be sure.

The seal men had built few cities on the rocky surface of their world, but what they had were said to be breathtaking to be hold.

The City was called Arr'Raab by the locals, but to the Empire at large it was known simply as the shining city. An interesting title, but one well deserved.

The Pho city had not been built in the traditional sense, it had, in fact, but cut out of the crystal formations that were common on the planet's surface. The city shone in the bright sunlight throwing of rainbows along the rocky cliffs and distant glaciers. It was so bright that Keera needed to darken her mask's optics. Her weakened eyes could not take such brightness, the crystals shone like stars. It was these crystals that first drew the Sith. They had hoped that they might have found a cache of crystals that could be adapted for lightsabers. That had not turned out to be the case, but that did not mean that the planet had not been valuable.

The fresh water stores on this world alone, made it worthy of becoming a Sith protectorate.

And now it falls to me to make sure it remains that way, Keera thought.

She hoped that she was up to the task.

Beric and Ro had accompanied her. They both looked up as she returned to the shuttle's main cabin. Both were clad in winter combat suit armor, not that she expected them to need it.

She could feel Ro's gaze on her as she sat back down. They would still need to talk about what had happened on the pirate freighter.

She glanced towards him, he did not look away, and she could sense…curiosity? Interest?

Attraction?

She looked away quickly.

Now that he was sure that it was her under the mask, he did nothing to hide his feelings.

She admired his bravery, if nothing else.

She would deal with the matter later, once the Pho had been reminded of their place.

Xen and Chylde sat silently in their seats. Keera wondered if they could sense change in her.

She doubted that Chylde could, the Twilek had just met her. Xen was another matter.

Keera's eyes narrowed.

She did not like the fact that the former Jedi harlot had her brother wrapped around her little finger. Avaryss may have been fine with it, but Keera was not.

If Xen did anything to hurt Beric, she would kill the little shutta without hesitation. She would need to arrange it first though. She did not want to hurt her relationship with her brother, but it could be done.

As Avy had once said.

Accidents did happen.

Keera would just have to wait for the right opportunity.

It would not be that hard to arrange.

Chylde looked up at her, her golden Sith eyes sparkling with a mix of curiosity and merriment.

"So many people," she said, "Are these nice people?"

Keera shrugged.

"They are allies," she said, "That is enough for now."

Chylde grinned hungrily.

"Are we going to kill them too? The ones on the ship were fun."

She giggled.

"I want to have more fun."

"I doubt that it will come to that," Keera replied, "If blood needs to be spilled, I will let you know."

She gave the Twi'lek a cold look.

"Until then…maintain control, do you understand?"

The girl responded with an exaggerated bob of her.

"Yes, mother Avaryss," she said, "I will be a good girl, you will see."

Keera sniffed.

A good girl?

They would see.

The ship did not bother landing at the city's main spaceport, it made straight for the main assembly building, the one the Pho used the Sith sent a representative to speak with them. Normally they would have held this meeting in one of their underwater chambers, but since a human would not survive very long in the icy waters, they held the meeting on the surface.

Just as well, Keera thought.

According to the shuttle's scanners Pholis was enjoying a particularly cold day today. A human without protective gear would not last long on the surface.

Fortunately, what she had to say would be brief. Just a few words and then she would present them with Avaryss' gift.

Her point would be made.

The Pho would understand.

The central building was one large crystalline dome. Rainbows danced on the floor around her, as Keera and her entourage arrived.

She looked around, nodding to all those attendance, the leaders of the planet, the greatest among the Pho.

The council members were not like the common seal men she had seen on the streets they were larger and far wider. The skin glistening in the light, their thick yet still slick bodies hinted at the power that they were capable of, they may have been a bit slow on land, but in the water few would wish to challenge them.

Keera nodded, pleased by what she was seeing.

She was grateful to have such creatures as allies.

Though he was not physically in attendance, Lob Vekk appeared via hyper comm, he introduced Keera as lord Avaryss of course, High Inquisitor of the Itae system.

She smiled and stepped forward.

She recognized the need to put her best foot forward. No doubt Darth Sadi was either watching this meeting live, or would see a recording later. Keera intended to give her no ammunition to use against her.

She intended to be…the perfect Sith.

"Honorable delegates," she said nodding respectfully, "I thank you for allowing me to come to your most beautiful world."

"You flatter us, Inquisitor," Chairman Boll Tyrr said returning her nod, a large brown skinned Pho; the chairman's large face was almost hidden beneath a beard of thick tan whiskers.

He might have seemed comical, if not for his large size and thick muscular arms.

Pacifists the Pho might be, but they had the potential for violence.

Keera intended to make sure that potential was all it would ever be.

"Your reputation precedes you, Inquisitor," the chairman continued, "I do hope that you will see that you have nothing to fear of our people, we remain loyal to the Empire, and the Dark Council."

"I am certain that the council will appreciate that sentiment, Chairman," she replied, "But have not come for simple assurances alone, especially after the tragedy that took place in orbit two days ago."

A rustle of noise went through the gathered Pho, the leaders barking to each other, the chairman stopped any argument with a raise large flipper.

"We had nothing to do with the loss of the Empire's ship, Lord Avaryss; we hope you can see that."

"Of course," she said, "I would never dare question the loyalty of your people. It is not you that I mean to discuss today, but myself."

She smiled broadly beneath her mask.

"No doubt you have all heard many wild tales about me and my master. Some of which, though true, are greatly exaggerated. We Sith are capable of great violence, but we are also capable of great generosity was well.

She let her eyes drift over the gathered leaders; she reached out with the Force trying to sense any anger or tension.

She sensed no more than what she might expect from such creatures.

Lucky them.

"As a representative of the Empire, and the Dark Council, I wish to ensure you all that the Empire has no intention of letting your world slip back into the chaos that it experienced before our arrival. The Sith take care of our own, and protect valuable resources, whether they be people or resources that they offer us."

She chuckled softly.

'We may stumble along the way, but that does not change our commitment to keeping your world and people safe. It is for that reason that I'm here."

She stood straighter.

"I'm here…to protect you."

Again a series of barking comments, she did not speak the native tongue, but she did not need to.

She could sense the skepticism in these creatures.

She did not blame them.

Words were cheap, she preferred action.

Action was why she had come.

She snapped her fingers. Two Sith trooper emerged carrying a large black case about as wide and as tall as a person, she had had Bleez prepare this little gift personally.

She wanted to make sure it came as a surprise to the Pho, after all, surprises often worked best in making examples.

"What is this," one the council delegates asked.

"A gift of sorts," Keera responded, "Something from Avaryss to you the good and honorable leadership of the Pho.

She nodded to Beric who motioned for his troops to move forward. They went to the case and opened it, holding it up for all to see.

Keera smirked.

The response was just what Avaryss had hoped for.

A series of surprised barks, some of the seal men looked away quickly, perhaps wanting to vomit when the first of the smells reached them.

Boll Tyrr gasped his dark brown skin paling at the sight of her gift.

What is this," he demanded, "Why have you brought this to us?"

Keera grinned.

She thought he would never ask.

"Consider this a promise," she said, "From me to the honorable people, of Pholis. The Sit hake fine allies, but we can be deadly enemies if provoked.

She chuckled.

"Just ask these gentlemen," she said motioning towards the case, "they will all tell you that we mean business."

Boll Tyrr whimpered.

She did not blame him.

It was kind of gross.

The case contained the heads of the nine prisoners they had taken after the space battle. Some of those heads were in worse shape than others, Sith interrogators were not known for being gentle. Some of the heads were missing ears or eyes; one was actually missing its nose and lips. Keera could not say which of her people were responsible for that, and did not really care.

These people had been enemies.

She knew how to deal with enemies.

She met the Chairman's gaze, it was important he understood what this meant.

"The Empire is at war," she said, "WE can afford no interruptions in our supply lines. These men tried and they have answered for it, know that we are not above making other such demonstrations in the future."

A ripple of fear went through the gathered assembly. Keera watched them closely, with both her eyes and the Force, hoping to identify any troublemakers right away. She sensed fear, but no anger, for now the Pho leaders were not motivated to act against the Empire.

She hoped that it would stay that way.

"I wish that I could stay longer, sadly the business of protecting the worlds under my charge draws me away," Keera bowed respectfully to the gathered leaders, the Seal men looked a little ill, but seemed to have gotten the point.

Good.

"The Empire remains a friend of Pholis I will speak with Darth Feer himself make sure he understands that the current quotas should remain where they are. I see no reason to gouge your world if we do not have to."

"You would do that for us, my lord?" the chairman asked.

She nodded.

"As I said, you are both an ally and loyal member of the Empire, we take care of our friends, and…," she said motioning to the heads on display before them."

"…Our enemies."

The Pho said nothing, but she thought he understood.

Friends could become enemies so quickly.

It was important that the consequence of such actions were understood.

"We…um….thank you for your actions on our behalf, Lord Avaryss," the chairman said, "You...um…are a credit to both your race and your order."

She laughed dismissively.

"You are too kind," she said, "But such pleasantries are most unnecessary, as I said before, we were, and remain your most loyal of allies."

She grinned as she looked down at the heads, remembering what she had learned before they had been…prepared for this meeting.

"WE are here to keep you safe," she repeated, "Never forget that, after all…we shall not."

Her eyes sparkled with a predatory light.

"WE…shall not."

The Pho nodded their heads; she could feel the sense of fear and submission. They would have nothing to worry about the Pho leadership, at least for now.

The empire's point has been made, and the answer has been received.

Good.

"May my next visit be longer, I would like to see more of your beautiful world."

"You…you will always be welcome here," Tyrr said quickly.

"A Sith is always welcome."

Keera tried not to laugh.

Being Avaryss was easier than she thought, at least in this.

A Sith was always welcome, the Pho had said.

And they were right.

How nice that they understood.

How very nice.


	25. The Volunteer

**Chapter 25: The Volunteer**

Nar Shadda.

It was a world of many names. Some creatures called it the land of opportunity. Other creatures called it the last stop of the desperate soul. The Hutts called it necessary saw it as place where they could carry out their business without disrupting their lives on Nal Hutta, the world that Nar Shadda orbited.

To Keera Lylos, now called Darth Avaryss, it was a world she had never hoped to see again.

The young Dark Lord frowned.

Nar Shadda had been one of the first planets that her master had sent her to during her training. She and her crew had spent that trip trying to protect a droid head from several of the moon's most unsavory elements.

Now, she was forced to return again, to investigate the name that the captain she had interrogated had given her. According to the now dead pirate, the go-between that had hired them to attack the Sith's water shipment was based here.

_And because of that_, she thought glumly, _once again I must wade into this neon draped cesspit of a world. I must find this go-between and make him talk._

It would be a most interesting job to be sure.

Of course, there were advantages to going on this journey. It would give her a chance to clear her head, to get away from the politics and games that was her homeworld.

It was also a chance to get away from Ro, to put some distance between them, and that was not a bad thing. The fact that he had deduced who she was had left her…shaken.

She needed time to clear her head, to regroup.

Killing the filth that called Nar Shadda home might be just what she needed.

It would be a chance to forget about Ro for a while, to forget the attraction she felt every time he looked at her.

These…desires…they left her…unsettled…puzzled.

She frowned.

_I thought I dealt with this long ago._

_I thought that this part of my past was no longer a factor._

_Now might be a good time to try and contact Fenn_, she thought to herself, _yes she had __**decided**__ not to, but that was before Avaryss had all but vanished from her consciousness. Her dream friend might be just what she needed now, a reminder of the things she truly wanted for herself..._

The thought made her smile, but that smile died just as quickly as it sprang.

_No_, the darkness within whispered, _you do not have time for that now. You still have a mission to complete, a world to save._

_You do not need Fenn, and that cute smile of his distracting you from what needed to be done._

Forget about **love** for now, focus on your **duty.**

She nodded grimly.

_Yes,_ she thought.

_I still have a mission to complete._

She needed to go to Nar Shadda.

IOI

She had decided not to use _the Emperor's Wisdom_ on this journey. The relationship between the Empire and the Hutts was not the best right now. The slugs had tried to reawaken their own Empire recently, they had tried and failed. Their scheme had involved them trying to lay claim to a valuable resource that the Sith had desperately needed. Marr had dispatched the Emperor's Wrath to deal with it. She had managed to both preserve the planet, and defeat the Hutts, and by doing so, won a major victory for both the Empire and the Cabal.

The slugs could have considered that a breach of treaty, but they hadn't. The galaxy continued to spin, but no one could deny that matters between the two powers were…tense.

Keera decided not to risk provoking the Hutts any further. A smaller combat vessel entering Hutt space would not attract the attention that a fully armed destroyer would.

The Fury class interceptor was a ship she was more than familiar with; it was the primary ship of choice among Sith apprentices. She had commanded one herself during her time dealing with Sy Dar Bynn and his Rogue Jedi conspiracy.

It would serve her needs just fine.

As for a crew she was bringing along two of her Oridannan volunteers, she wanted the story of what was about to happen to circulate through the ranks of both the peacekeepers and the soldiers that defended Oridanna. She wanted her people to understand the length she was willing to go to protect their home.

It was the best way to keep building on the foundation that she created.

Beric had not been happy with her choice. He felt it better that they descend on Nar Shadda in force. He had been equally hesitant when she informed him she intended to carry out this mission alone.

"I'm not going to fight," she informed him, "I merely wish to converse with the go-between that the rebels used to hire the pirates that attacked Pholis."

"And if he decides he does not wish to talk?" her brother had inquired.

Keera grinned.

"Then I shall ask again…more forcefully."

She did not need to elaborate further.

He knew how "forceful" she could be when she wanted something.

He insisted that she allow him to come with her, him and Xen. It was their job to keep her safe, and he did not like the thought of his little sister alone on Nar Shadda.

Keera had smiled at that.

_Dear Ric,_ she thought.

_My sweet brother._

She was grateful they had been alone for that conversation; it had made what she wanted so much easier. She had thrown her arms around Beric, embracing as she had wanted to do for so very long.

Avy had always against showing any affection for him. She had been afraid that it would be noticed and that her enemies would come to see Beric as a weak link, a lever that they might exploit

It had been frustrating for Keera, Beric was her last living relative; she loved him, and only now was she finally free to show it.

As she felt his strong arms wrap around her, returning the embrace she smiled.

It had been far too long.

"What…what are you doing?" he asked, he sounded confused.

"Can I not show that I love my big brother?" she inquired, "It is not like anyone is around to see."

She heard him chuckle.

"Okay," he said, "Who are you and what have you done with the real Lord Avaryss?"

She tensed at his question.

She feared that in that moment Avy would come roaring back, that she would be furious; furious enough that she might even attack Beric.

It did not happen…luckily.

Her mind reminded her own.

Is it truly over, Keera wondered?

Had she won?

Was Avy **really** gone…?

…Or was she simply hiding, lying in wait?

She decided not to worry her brother. She gave him a small, shy smile.

"I've been dealing with a lot lately," she said to him, giving him no clue of her current worries, "It…it has made me reconsider some past choices."

She shrugged.

"I'm trying to be a better person."

Her brother smiled.

"Then I wish you luck then," he said, "May you become the person that you have always wanted to be."

She almost laughed at that.

The person she had always wanted to be?

She was not quite sure who that person was?

For the longest time she had been so focused on becoming a Lord of the Sith, but once she had done that, she had discovered it was not quite what she expected. She had been forced to make so many choices, so many compromises.

The thought of some of them made her blood boil.

She had gone too far more than once.

She would not do that again.

She found herself thinking about Darth Feer, what she had done to stay close to him, how many times she had let him punish her, try to break her down.

She was done with that.

The old Hutt spawn will never sit the Imperial throne, she thought, If it was the last thing she did she would destroy him before he ever got the chance.

_Even if it means losing __**your**__ chance to sit there_, the darkness within whispered.

_Is that truly the way of the Sith?_

She could not say for sure. She had had a vision once of ascending to the seat of the Emperor, of ruling a unified galaxy not just as the Sith Empress, but as sovereign of a unified galaxy, the first true Galactic Empire.

Helping Feer might have been the first step to achieving that goal.

_But it would not have worked_, Keera thought, _there is always another angle with my master, there is always a hook. After my victory over Terrog, I should have been named lord of all of his holdings, but he had not done that, he denied me my rightful place, divided what should have been mine among lesser servants, people like Sadi, people that are not fit to sit on the various thrones that should have been mine._

She pursed her lips.

The road of the Sith was not an easy one to walk.

_Nothing is given in this life_, she thought, _power is never __**surrendered**__, it must be __**taken,**__ ripped from the still grasping hands of a dying master._

A shiver ran down her spine.

Perhaps it was time for Darth Feer to get on with the dying.

She backed away from Beric, wishing that he could see the change in her, the desire to finally avenge their family. No more games, just the justice that they deserved, a justice long denied.

She hoped that he would welcome it as much as she.

"The fewer people that know about this trip the better," she informed him, "I need you and Xen to keep matters rolling back on Oridanna. Bleez and Dym will aid you. Make sure that Sadi does not jeopardize what I'm building, if she makes any audacious moves, contact me immediately on holo communicator."

Her brother nodded, he was still not happy, but she sensed that he was willing to see sense.

Praise the Emperor.

"Okay," he said, "I'll do my best."

"That is all that I ever asked, Ric," she said starting to back away.

Again, through the Force she felt his hesitation, his worry.

She sighed.

She was not going to get out of this without making some concessions.

_Fine_, she thought.

_I will bring help._

"I will take Holli along if it makes you feel better. It has been too long since I used her **real** talents."

Keera smiled.

"It will likely come in very handy."

He nodded; he seemed okay with that choice.

"Just be careful," he said, "Our people still need you. If something were to happen, who would stand up and help save our home world?"

Keera nodded.

She was grateful for his confidence in her.

She would do her best not to disappoint him.

IOI

"Sorry to drag you away from your duties here, Lujayne," Keera said as the two made their way to the hangar bay.

She smiled at the changeling, her face might have been hidden by her mask, but Holli would no doubt hear the affection in her voice.

"I need someone that I can trust on this one."

"It is no problem, my lord," Holli assured her with an eager smile, "It has been too long that I got to play the engineer again, being an officer is all well and good, but…"

Her friend chuckled.

"Just let me get a bit of engine grease beneath my fingernails again and I will be super fine."

Keera chuckled.

She and Holli were not that different after all.

Command was all well and good, but there was something satisfying about handling matters yourself.

Both of them understood that, and had missed it to some degree.

As they emerged into the hangar they saw the Fury class interceptor just finishing its final approach. The ship fired its docking thrusters as it settled gently down onto the deck. Seeing the ship brought back many memories for Keera, they may have technically been Avy's memories, but that did not take away the deep connection she felt for seeing the familiar looking ship.

It was not her original ship of course, that one was currently in the hands of her servant Thranton Rink, but it was still a fury, and seeing it again made her remember the joys of a simpler time, before her life as a Darth had taken away some of the freedoms she had enjoyed as just another Sith Apprentice.

She missed being able to flit about the galaxy, answerable to no one but her master. Being a Darth was nice and all, but a lot of strings went with it.

It would be nice to be rid of those…for a while at least.

"The sub light engines sounded a little rough," Holli said with a hint of a frown, "I'll take a look at them as soon as we enter hyperspace; make sure their purring like a felinx before we reach our destination."

"Do what you think is necessary," Keera said, "I don't expect any problems, but…why take the chance."

She nodded.

It never hurt to be prepared.

The loading ramp hissed steam as it lowered, the ship's flight crew emerged. Keera had asked for volunteers from among her Oridannan allies. Both men wore the uniform of her home world's security force. She recognized the first only in passing, but the second…

She frowned.

What in the name of the Emperor was this?

"Lieutenant Wilkes," she called out trying to hide her disbelief.

"Isn't this a surprise?"

Roan Wilkes smiled at her.

"You did ask for volunteers, my lord," he reminded her with a shrug.

"Well…I volunteered."

She and Holli approached them. Keera cursed silently under her breath, grateful once again for the fact that the mask hid her features.

He just had to do this, didn't he?

He just had to?

She sized her old friend up; she had not even realized that he could fly a starship.

"I trust that you can handle this type of vessel," she said coolly, "It is not the type of ship trusted to amateurs."

He chuckled.

"Have no fear on that point, my lord. I'm fully trained and certified to fly most of the Empire's light vessels, from Interceptors like this one all the way down to our Starfighters."

His smile brightened.

"Magistrate Hissa insisted that at least some of our forces were trained to do so, it is a dangerous and uncertain galaxy. It never hurts to be prepared."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Had she known about such training she would never have asked for volunteers. She had hoped to use this mission to give herself some distance between herself and Ro.

Now they would be travelling together. The thought made her gut twist nervously.

It was hard to avoid someone onboard a fury, it was a very small ship.

Being in such close quarters…it could make things…uncomfortable.

Still she refused to show any weakness. She was the lord here, not him.

She would not be intimidated by her past.

"I had not realized that Hissa had taken such an interest in expanding the knowledge of our security forces," she said.

"I take it you are impressed?" he asked.

She frowned.

"I do not impress easily," she replied.

His smile morphed into that familiar smirk she remembered, the one that he had given her more than once in the last year they had known each other, that look of interest that had always made her heart flutter.

She tried to ignore it.

"Trust me, my lord," he said, "You will be most pleased with my…performance."

She sneered at the weakly veiled attempt to flirt with her.

You can turn off the charm, Ro, she thought.

I'm immune.

"Satisfy me," she told him, "Then we shall talk about your…performance."

She moved past him and into the ship. Holli remained at her side. Ro and his co-pilot followed after them.

Keera frowned.

She just realized what she had said, and how someone like Ro might have misunderstood it.

Satisfy me; then we shall talk about your performance?"

She winced.

It had not sounded so…_suggestive_ in her head, but now that the words were out there.

A shiver ran down her spine.

She had not meant to say something so…so…

She shook her head.

Damn it!

What the hell am I doing?

"Is everything okay, my lord?" Holli asked.

"You seem tense."

Keera stood a little straighter.

"I'm fine, Holli," she said.

"Everything is fine."

_Except for the fact that Ro and I are going to be shut up together on this ship together for several hours. It will be very hard to avoid him. I will need to stay in my quarters._

Keera took another shuddering breath.

They still needed to talk, but was she ready to do this now?

It was not really a good time.

Her indecision was both frustrating and annoying.

_Why was being here such a big problem?_

_What the hell was the matter with her?_

She was a Dark Lord of the Sith, damn it!

She would not be intimidated, not by Ro Wilkes, not by anyone!

The past was in the past.

She would let it go.

IOI

They were several hours out when she finally sensed his presence. After providing him with the coordinates for Nar Shadda she had left him to his own devices. She had gone to the officer's quarters and shut herself in even before they had made had made the jump to hyperspace.

She had to admit the transition had been smooth; there had been barely a bump as the two Oridannans got them underway. Holli was even now back in the engine compartment, taking a look at the sub lights so that they would be ready when they finally made the transition back to real space.

Keera had settled down on the floor of her quarters and meditated. She still had no idea what awaited them on the Smuggler's Moon, she needed to be sharp when they finally arrived. Her thoughts needed to be clear, her anger and rage sharpened like a stiletto.

She tried to focus on the mission, but every time she tried, Ro's face seemed to appear in her thoughts.

Damn it, she thought.

Damn that man!

She had tried to get some sleep, but when she tried the nightmares were waiting for her. She dreamt of the night her family had died; only this time she could hear a voice calling out to her from the fires. A voice telling her that she was "almost there," and that "she needed to come home."

She managed only about an hour of actual sleep, and finally, realizing that anymore was impossible, rose and turned back to meditation. She would not allow her personal weaknesses to affect her mission.

The Force would both restore and refresh her mind.

She would be ready by the time they made planet fall.

The ship, now moving through hyperspace, would not need a pilot's attention until they were finally ready to emerge. This meant that Ro had some time on his hands.

She frowned.

He was now approaching her quarters; she could sense him, and his emotions.

She was not sure what to make them.

He seemed nervous, but she was used to that, few would say it was wise to disturb a dark lord's meditations, but that was not what he was concerned about.

What she was sensing had nothing to do with the dark lord she had become. Ro was focusing entirely on the girl she had been. Ro's thoughts were full of images of Keera Lylos, of their time together before her life took her down the dark path.

What does he think is going to happen? She wondered.

What does he want from me?

She found herself wishing that she had the talent of Force persuasion. It would be so much easier if she could make Ro forget who she was by simply a wave her hand and a few words. Sadly, her talents had always lain elsewhere. Her lightning, Sith magic, and telekinesis would do her little here. She could plant nightmares into someone's head with a spell, but what it came to making them simply forget…she had no way to do that.

A Sith curse escaped her lips.

The Force had a funny sense of humor sometimes.

She felt his presence outside her quarters; she could feel his hesitation as he stood outside her door. His hand was up, prepared to knock, but again he hesitated.

He wanted to see her, to speak with her, but at the same time…he was afraid, and it had nothing to do with her being a Sith.

His weakness should have sickened her, but it did not. If anything it was…comforting.

It was nice to know that she was not the only one troubled by this, by what had come before.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

She was still armed and armored, her mask and helmet still hid her features. That fact comforted her.

What was about to happen would be a battle of sorts.

She felt safer going in fully armored.

She gestured towards the door; it hissed open, surprising Ro, making him jump back.

She smiled.

So the first point goes to me, she thought.

Good.

"Come forth, Ro," she said with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Trust me, I don't bite."

He entered her quarters, his hands behind his back. The nervousness she had felt when he stood outside her door remained, but now that he was here he had full control over it. His will held it in check

That level of control impressed her; most mundanes lacked the discipline to hold their emotions in check.

She was pleased to see that he could.

He has full control over his fear, she thought, what he is feeling now is not about fear, it is a need to connect, a hope that there is more here than what she was willing to show.

Her mouth felt very dry in that moment.

"Hi," he said, trying to hold her gaze.

She did not rise, she simply watched him from behind the safety of her mask.

"Hello, Ro," she said, trying to keep her voice cool and even.

"Do you need something?"

He took a deep breath and centered himself.

"You…you said we should talk," he reminded her.

He shrugged.

"I have time, if you do?"

You can say no, the darkness reminded her, you can tell him to go back to the cockpit and leave you in peace.

I could, she thought, but I won't.

She pursed her lips.

She would not remain a prisoner to this.

She would deal with it now.

The past had too much of a hold on her.

The time had come to free herself.

Through victory my chains are broken.

She would no longer be bound by these chains.

She refused.

"Are you sure you want to do this now?" she inquired, "You may not like what you are about to hear?"

He shrugged.

"I'm used to hearing things that I don't like," he said, "It is a big part of my job."

"Maybe you should find a new one," she said dryly, "Some answers can be…painful."

Ro's brow furrowed, his features took on that stubborn look she remembered from their childhood days.

"Can you take that thing off," he said, "I already know what is under there. You don't need it."

"Direct aren't you," she chuckled, "You are in here only a few moments and you are already asking me to undress."

She had expected him to stammer, to be embarrassed and retreat. He did not, he held his ground.

"Take off the mask, Keera," he said, "You don't need it, not around me."

She sighed.

"And what do you think you will see if I do?"

"The face of the girl I…I…"

She tilted her head slightly.

"The face of the girl you…what?"

The girl I knew," he added, "the one that I grew up with."

He stood a little straighter.

"I want to see the face of Andur and Mya Lylos' daughter."

She tilted her head.

"Aren't you afraid that the face beneath this mask is not what you remembered? Perhaps I'm horribly scarred beneath this mask? Perhaps the dark side has left me a shadow of what I once was; perhaps I look like a grey skinned misshapened monster under this mask?"

"Do you," he asked, "Is that what you look like?"

She shrugged.

"Some Sith would consider me ugly? They would see my features as a reflection of weakness. Are you sure that you want this? Do you really want to see my face?"

"Yes," he said no hesitation.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"Please, Keera," he said.

"No more hiding, no more games."

She sighed.

"You will be disappointed."

She raised her hands, hitting the release catches on her mask.

_What are you doing_? The darkside whispered.

Killing the past, she thought, freeing myself.

Keera sighed as she lifted the helmet from her head, and sat it on the deck before her. She said nothing as Ro took in her features for the first time since they had last parted almost five years ago.

"Not a pretty sight is it?" she said gesturing to her face.

Ro did not answer, he…he just kept looking.

She frowned.

What was he doing?

She could see her face reflected in the mirror in the corner, what she saw did not please her.

It was not the face of a Darth; that was for certain.

The healthy glow of her skin, her nose freckled like the farm girl she had been almost half a decade ago. the slight pink of her cheeks, the color rising thanks to Ro's regard, not to mention her eyes, the dark purple a mix of the blue eyes that she had been born with and the crimson left by the damage done during her integration after the death of Fehl.

What would Ro say about that, she wondered, would he think less of her knowing that she had been so easily caught by her masters, or would pity her for her loss, the damage that had been done?

He could no doubt see the implants in her ears, the sonic bafflers that compensated for the damage done to her hearing. How about her arm? Red durasteel and crystal was not the same as flesh and blood, she had been maimed, crippled, cybernetics did not change that.

Her eyes narrowed.

Surely he could see the signs of her weakness? Another Sith certainly would, surely seeing what she had become would make him realize that he needed to turn away, forget the past.

I'm not the girl you remember, she thought, I'm something far worse than anything she could have been.

She glared at him.

_There, you have seen my face, now go_, she wanted to shout.

There is no reason for you to leer at the signs of my weakness.

She expected Ro to flee, to understand that she was not the same girl she had been. That he would let go of the past, and move on.

He did not.

She sensed no pity, no revulsion in his gaze, she sensed…happiness?

No…that was not it, it was too small a word.

She shifted uncomfortably.

Hope, she realized, that is what she was feeling.

He never gave up hope, she realized, he somehow knew that I wasn't dead, he did not accept it, not in his heart.

Now…that he sees my face, realizes that it is truly me.

She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

What are you staring at, she wanted to shout.

What do you want from me?!

"Well," she said, "Say something."

Ro smiled, she felt only warmth, desire and need.

It made her…uncomfortable.

"Hey stranger," he said, "It has been a long time."

Keera Lylos sighed.

Why did he have to say something like that?

"Your eyes are different."

"I know," she hissed, "they are hideous."

"He shook his head no.

"They suit you," he purred.

You are beautiful."

Despite her desire to let the past end, to move on, Keera blushed, she could not help it, she looked away unable to meet his gaze.

_Damn you, Roan Wilkes_, she thought.

_Damn you._


	26. The Go-Between

**Chapter 26: The Go-Between**

Nar Shadda had gotten worse since the war had begun.

The crowds on the various streets had grown; the lost and the hopeless were everywhere. So many had been driven from their homes by the renewed war, or had simply looked for a place to try and escape it. Nar Shadda did offer some opportunities for a new life, but if a person's skill set did nothing to advance the agenda of the Hutts, that person often found themselves adrift among the rabble, that or possible fodder for the Hutt slave markets.

It was not a pretty picture.

Nar Shadda was not the type of world you wanted to be lost on.

The various humans and aliens looked up as they passed by, The two kept their eyes forward, and moved with purpose, no one tried to stop them, most moved quickly to get out of the way, as if sensing that these two were predators, and they did not wish to draw any more attention than what was already there. The lost followed them with their gaze, their eyes reflecting many fears and the desperate acts that had drawn these people here.

Keera did her best to ignore them.

It had nothing to do with her mission.

She tried to stay focused on that.

As she moved through the streets with Ro at her side she could feel it, the increase in the desperation, and the sense of hopelessness that had all but swallowed many of the people here. She could feel the pain and the loss of the various refugees and travelers that had been displaced during the latest round of fighting between the Empire and the Republic.

_Such is the fate of the weak_, the darkness within her whispered_. If they do not serve they must get out of the way._

The Empire has no time for them right now.

Ro moved at her side, she had feared that he might be distracted by what he was seeing that the suffering around him might distract them from why they were here. Again he surprised her, she could feel his horror and what was going on around them, he clearly was shocked, but she also sensed a grim acceptance.

These people were not servants of the Empire, not yet.

When that changed…they would be able to do more.

The two of them followed the direction given by the pirate captain that Keera had interrogated, both were both clad in plain grey robes, no markings or clues that might suggest their origins. Technically the Empire and the Hutts still had their neutrality treaty, but why take chances?

Keera had no desire risking picking a fight right now. All she wanted was to speak to the go-between the pirate had told her about, and leave.

What was happening on Nar Shadda was the Hutts' problem.

She had no desire to get caught up in it.

They side stepped a pair of Sullustans; the aliens chittered nervously trying to get out of the way. Both looked like they expected Keera and Ro to try and attack them, when they didn't, the relief that radiated off the pair was almost visible.

Ro shook his head.

"Is it like this everywhere?" he asked her.

Keera shrugged.

"Is this your first time outside the Empire?"

He nodded.

"I remember what we learned in school," he said, "But…"

Keera almost laughed at that.

School?

If Ro only knew.

She had never realized growing up how much Imperial propaganda she had been fed. It was easier to say that the Republic kept its people in squalor and needed to be removed for the good of everyone, that, and the safety and security of the Empire and its citizens, so that the nightmare that was the Sith Holocaust never happened again.

The truth was…not so black and white.

She could have continued to feed the lie to Ro, tell him that the Republic was no so different than this, but in the end decided against it. Ro was quite clever.

She would not insult his intelligence.

"Do not believe everything they taught us," she said with a smile, "People are people wherever you go. Leaders abuse their power, and the people beneath them suffer. Even the most beautiful of worlds that I've visited have suffered from the same power games that plague our own Empire."

"So what is the alternative then?" he inquired.

"The alternative is that there is no alternative. The Republic will eventually collapse from the rot and power games of its senators, because the Jedi are unwilling to do what is needed. The Sith, at least, have a way to deal with those that play power games, and hurt the people. If a merchant or dark lord is caught working against the empire he is destroyed, just as I destroyed that fool Terrog.

She smiled at the memory.

"The rule of the strong ensures that we will not be defeated, the cream always rises to the top, and in the end we will finally be in a position to end the Republic and free its people from the chaos that consumes them. We will bring stability and order to the galaxy."

"And the galaxy will finally know peace," Ro said.

Again Keera had to keep herself from laughing.

Peace was a lie, there was only passion.

The Sith Order did not bring peace, it brought stability and security. Yet, its enemies were always there, both from without and within, the overly ambitious always needed to be dealt with, but that was good. It kept those in power on their toes, ready for war. The empire would always have to remain on its guard; it was the only way that it could survive.

The war had already seen the removal of many overly ambitious Sith. Darth Thanaton, Darth Baras, even Lord Malgus had needed to be removed. His attempt to create a splinter Empire had been a distraction at the worst possible time, and he had paid for it.

It was a shame, she thought, Malgus had been a true hero once.

Oh well, he is dead, and as a result best forgotten, the Empire needed new heroes, men and women like her and Darth Marr. Avy's choice of joining the cabal was one of her few good ideas, an idea that Keera was determined to see through to the end.

The Empire would be saved,

The cabal would ensure that.

"We will bring order," she promised, "What else can we do?"

Ro shrugged.

"As you say, my lord, as you say."

Keera frowned.

She did not like what she was sensing.

Ro was humoring her. Why?

Did he not believe in what they were doing?

"You don't trust the Sith Order?" she asked.

"Trust is earned, Keera," he replied.

She sniffed at that.

"And who told you that?"

"Your father actually," he said with a smile, "He understood the dangers of serving the order, and of accepting what they say at face value."

Ro shook his head.

"If anyone understood that, I thought it would be you."

Keera winced. She did not think that Ro meant to hurt her with that comment, but still…

OUCH!

"I'm surprise you've risen so fast in the ranks with that kind of attitude," she said.

"It was not my attitude or opinions that people are usually interested in. I get results and those in high places like that. I've also made sure that I only talk to the right people. I didn't agree with my dad on much, but he did know who was on the way up and who was on the way down, and made sure that I could recognize that too…

Keera nodded, she was starting to get that, both from what they had said back on the Fury, and what was passing between them now.

You could say what you wanted about Ro Wilkes, but one thing was for sure, he was **not** stupid.

Perhaps he was a bit too trusting revealing so much of himself to her, but…given their history?

It was not like she would betray him, not without a really good reason.

She could no longer deny it.

He was…impressive, for a mundane.

He was most impressive.

He knew how to play the game. He had proved that, not only by his rise through the ranks, but by deducing who she truly was.

It was impressive to say the least.

He was smart, skilled and cunning. Any one of those traits would have been enough for him to rise quickly in the ranks, and he had all three.

It was no wonder he had gotten to where he was now.

Ro Wilkes was far more than a mere peacekeeper.

He was far more.

IOI

After she had first removed her helmet, they had spent a good two hours talking. Ro had sat down across from where she had been kneeling in meditation, much as he had years ago when she had been studying or doing her chores. They had often sat together and talked, seeing him here; finding herself in such a situation was strangely soothing.

It had been...a long time since she had had a chance to just sit and talk with someone.

Usually any conversations she had were all about business, or because the person she was talking to was trying to advance an agenda. Ro was not like that, at least, that is how it seemed on the surface.

He was simply grateful that she was alive. He had missed her.

She was not quite sure how to respond to that.

The affection he felt for her felt strange through the Force. She had felt such affection when talking to Fenn but that was always filtered through his sense of Jedi calm; it was hard to get at the emotions that he kept buried beneath the surface.

Ro was not like that, he was completely open, and his emotions warmed her like the light of a star.

It was different to say the least, but it did not explain how they had gotten here did it?

She needed that answer.

"How did you know," she had asked, "What gave me away?"

"You did," he said with a shrug, "You told me everything that I needed to know."

She had glared when he had said that. No Sith wanted to be told that they were without guile and be read so easily.

Ro, likely realizing that he needed to say more quickly expanded on his comment, not wanting her to get angry.

He was smart enough not to make such a mistake.

"I happen to be very good at my job, Lylos," he said, "A big part of that job is observation, trying to figure out what is being said by **not** being said. In your case, I've known you since we were kids. I had a lot of time to study your various tells and quirks."

He smiled proudly.

"Don't you like the fact that you garnered a young man's complete and undivided attention?"

She had smirked at that, his arrogance amused her more than anything else. He had thought to put her off guard by the use of her last name, it had annoyed her during her younger days, but now it meant little to her.

Her emotions were her power, but she was not some unthinking animal, she knew how to direct them, to harness their power.

She would not be provoked so easily. He may have known her past, but that was not the same as knowing who now sat across from her.

He did not know her, not anymore.

She had done things that would have shocked him.

She was tempted to let him know just how different she had become.

"How long," she inquired, "When were you certain it was me?"

"Since we visited Orid together," he admitted, "When Hissa told me about you, about the female dark lord who had been taken from our world and now returned, I…I had hoped it was you; prayed that it was you. I tested you several times; you evaded my questions, but still left me with a strong sense that it was you underneath that mask. Finally, you confirmed my suspicions in Orid, it had to be you; my every instinct was screaming that it was you."

"But how?" she demanded.

"Little things, they add up quickly in my line of work, and I've learned to trust them."

He smiled again.

"When you are bored you trace circles on your thigh with your finger, which you were doing during your meeting with the mayor and his staff. When I tried to catch your gaze, you often looked down and to the right; it is something you use to do when we were children. Particularly when you were uncomfortable or your dad caught you doing something you shouldn't have been."

Ro chuckled.

"Since I was usually at your side when that happened, I saw you do it many times, probably more times than I should have."

"When we did get caught it always did seem that we were together," she admitted looking down and to the right, the memory of many such situations suddenly flooding back.

Ro grinned.

"See you are doing it again."

Keera's eyes narrowed, almost on reflect she looked down and to the right again.

She hissed out an angry breath.

Damn.

"I read your file," she told him, "It said you hunted down the outlaws that destroyed my family. Since none of the people that did it survived, I must ask who it was that you destroyed. If you suspected that I lived how did you know who to go after, who were they?"

Ro sighed.

"That is a bit of a long story," he said.

"We have time," she said giving him a cool stare.

He took another deep breath and began his tale.

After…that night there were many changed on Oridanna. So many officials died mysteriously or simply vanished. When we heard about your family, I wanted to go with my father, to see for myself, hoping that I might find at least one of you alive."

Ro shook his head.

"He refused, telling me that it was too dangerous. That he would see to the matter himself and let me know what had happened. We did not speak again for almost a week. Everything was confused, no one seemed to know what was going on, only that people were resisting Darth Feer's rule, that outlaws loyal to the old lord were attacking people. It seemed impossible, Oridannans were never the type to get involved in the games that the lord's play."

That much was true, she thought, as long as the quotas were met, Oridanna had always seemed to remain distant from Imperial affairs.

"When did you find out that your father had been named Overseer?"

"When he finally came home a week later," Ro said, "He seemed…changed by everything that had happened, it did not seem that he was enjoying his new position. Later, when I finally started going out in public again, I got the feeling that not everyone believed the story about what had happened to your father.

So there was some resistance, she thought to herself with surprise, Andur Lylos had always been respected, at least was the impression she had gotten when being out in public with her family.

The thought brought a smile to Keera's lips.

Ro's father might have been named overseer, but it was by no means a transition that the people had respected.

She took a bit of pleasure from that.

Careful what you wish for, she thought, you just might get it.

"What happened next?" she asked him, "I take it that things did not go as smoothly as Darth Feer had hoped."

"I can't speak for all of Oridanna, but I can tell you what I saw in Orid. There was a lot of anger after the death of so many of our leaders, those that had taken their place had to deal with that. Father was always travelling, meeting with merchant or that official; he dragged me along so that I could get a chance to meet them. I had just enlisted in the peace keepers, and he wanted to make sure that I knew who to talk to if I needed something to advance our interests."

Ro sighed.

"Once I would have been bored to tears by those meetings, but after what happened to you. I learned quickly to take nothing for granted. I listened and I watched, and surprisingly enough I learned that my dad was right, those contacts he was making were necessary. Of course, it was about that time that mom left, not that I blame her. I think she was worried that what had happened to your family would happen to us."

Ro shook his head.

"She never came out and said it, but I think she blamed dad for what was happening. They argued during that last week, more than I had ever seen them, and then one day, she was gone, took the others and didn't look back."

"She did not try to convince you to come?" Keera asked.

"She did, but at seventeen I was considered an adult, a peacekeeper recruit, and after I finally got to read the official report of the attack on your family, I did not want to leave. I wanted to find out what happened."

He shrugged.

"So…I stayed."

"And dealt with the outlaw band that killed me and mine," she said dryly, "You must have been very proud."

He gave her an arched look.

"I know those men didn't do it," he said flatly, "But I also understood that according to official records, they had. I did not have the authority to question, and would not have tried if I did. I was trying to make a name for myself among the peacekeepers. Dealing with those men…it helped me do just that."

Ro leaned back and gave her an appraising look.

"Those men were far from innocent. They may not have attacked your family farm, but that did not mean that they were not guilty of plenty of other crimes. The few that I did manage to question did confirm my suspicions that that they had had nothing to do with deaths of your family. It provided me with another piece of the puzzle that was what had happened that night. I didn't question, and when those men were executed I simply stood and accepted my accolades."

He gave her a cheery grin.

"Would you have not done the same?"

Keera nodded.

Perhaps the two of them were not so different after all.

He had made the smart choice, the Sith choice.

She would not fault him for that.

"What was the official story of what happened to my family?" she asked, "What did the report say."

"Outlaw attack, Imperial troops responded only to be killed by a superior enemy force. The farm was destroyed, by high explosives, only a single body recovered. Your body…or so the report said."

Ro winced.

"I almost gave up hope when I read that last part. I almost accepted that you were gone."

"Yet, you did not," she said, "Why?"

"As I said, I learned long ago to read between the lines, the body that they found was of a young woman badly burned and between fifteen and sixteen years of age, black haired with an athletic build, it could have been you, but the fact that it was there at all set off alarm bells. The explosion that destroyed your family home vaporized the other bodies, and if the blast didn't the heat alone was enough to turn any body into ash, or so the report claimed. So finding a single body among the wreckage seemed odd. It was enough to give me hope."

"And why is that?" she asked.

"The fact that the Imperial mission was mentioned in the report, that one of the sisters had found your body. Missionaries rarely leave the settlements, for one to be out with a military detachment suggest high level imperial involvement, possibly by a member of the Sith Order. If that was so, why didn't the Sith or the officer in command sign the report, why would a missionary go to such trouble?"

The young man shook his head.

"I still remember what we said to each other that morning. I also remember that little stunt of yours, that flip you did off the collection tower. I remember saying that you should be lucky that no one from the mission was there to see it, that they might have taken you into custody if they had."

Keera smiled. She also remembered that conversation. It was one of the few from her past that stuck with her, even after everything else she had done.

Clever boy.

He had managed to piece together most of what had happened. Though he said nothing about his father's involvement in what had happened that night. How the Sith enforcer that came for her family had intended to bring her back as a gift for the new overseer.

Ro did not seem to know anything about that, maybe he didn't. At least, he had not admitted that he knew anything about it.

She was about to tell him, to tell her side of the story. After all that he had done in trying to figure out what had happened that night, he deserved to know.

Before she could say anything her comlink beeped, it was Holli, letting her know that they were on final approach to their destination.

Keera nodded and scooped up her helmet, snapping it back into place. She rose quickly and he followed her lead.

Any sense of comradery faded, they were both once again fully back into their official roles, he as a peacekeeper and her as a Sith Lord.

H will follow my lead if he knows what is best.

"We will need to continue this later, lieutenant" she informed him, "For now, duty calls."

"Looking forward to it, my lord," he said, "I think there are still a few things that we need to clear up."

Perhaps, she thought.

Normally she was not the type of person that dwelt on the past. The Sith teachings said that such things she be tossed aside, but as the same time, how could she move forward if she did not deal with what had come before?

Avy had not wanted to return to Oridanna, but they were here now, and had to deal with the mess that Darth Feer had made.

She intended to do just that.

She would no longer be a slave to her past.

She would deal with it and move on, and then…she would finally be free to face the future, Feer and anyone standing in her way.

She welcomed that confrontation.

Feer is a part of my past too, she thought.

She welcomed the chance to be rid of that too.

Soon, my master, she promised herself.

Soon.

IOI

"I'm sorry, Sith, but I cannot help you."

Keera's eyes narrowed, she had hoped for more than this.

"Can't or won't," she asked the creature lounging on the pile of pillows before her.

It was taking all of her self-control not to reach out with the Force and throttle this puffed-up, self-important fool.

Does he not realize what he is saying, she wondered.

Does he not truly understand what I am?

The Go-between she had been sent to find was a creature named Telsuba, a crimson skinned member of the dug species. The Dark Lord had never encountered his kind before, but immediately found the thing…repulsive.

Small in stature, the dug species seemed to have bodies built in reverse. Their legs attached to their shoulders while their small grasping arms extended from their hips. Dressed in a fine silken robe, the Dug continued to lounge on his pillowed throne like he was some type of monarch, a gold monocle glittered over his left eye, while his right arm/leg held a fine cigara holder.

He seems not to have a care in the world, Keera thought, that he can just dismiss me because he enjoys the protection and patronage of the Hutt clans.

She was extremely tempted to teach him otherwise.

Ro stood silently at her side, before entering the Dug's sanctum he had asked her how she had wanted to play this meeting. He had offered to play the heavy if she desired to play the more patient master, the one open for negotiation.

He had thought such a game might serve them well, that it would leave their quarry more open for negotiation.

She had refused Ro's offer, thinking that between the credits she could offer and her past relationship with Lord Vogga of the Hutt. The Dug Go-between would not dare deny her what she wanted.

It seemed that she had been wrong, and now Ro was giving her that I told you so look, it was a look she knew so well from their childhood days.

She frowned.

She had no desire to see him proved right.

She could do this, no matter what her old friend thought.

She could do this.

All around them stood the Dug's sycophants, a collection of creatures typically found in such scum dens. Gamorrean, Weequay, and Rodians watched her carefully from shadowed alcoves, and all the while several slave girls lounged on pillows of their own, Twilek, human, and several other species she did not recognize watched with glazed bored eyes, oblivious to the confrontation between the Sith and their master.

She did her best to remain patient, Vogga the Hutt had made this introduction for her, for old time's sake, but he had made it clear that Telsuba was not to be harmed; he was still a useful tool of the cartel.

He would die only if the cartel said so, not before.

"We know that you served as a go-between before a pirate gang and someone from within the Itae system of the Sith Empire," she repeated, "The sith do not care that you did that, there will be no reprisal against you or your operation.

She smiled innocently.

"All we want to know is who was your client, who wanted these men?

"All we desire is a name."

The Dug snorted and took a long puff on his cigara; he blew out a smoke ring and gave the young Sith a toothy grin.

"Such dealings are confidential, my lord, as I've already told you. If I was to give you that name, no one would ever be able to trust my services again. I might profit in the short term, but in the long run it would be bad for business, very bad."

He leaned forward, the golden monocle glittering in the low light of his hideaway.

"Certainly you can understand why," he purred, "Reputation is everything to creatures like us. As I said before, I can't help you."

Keera's temper continued to rise. She had come too far to leave empty handed. The Dug would talk; she would make sure of that.

"Perhaps it would be better if we discussed this matter in private," she suggested, "there is no reason for your servants to be involved. I'm sure that we can come to some sort of…arrangement."

The Dug gave a barking laugh.

"You think I'm foolish enough to be alone in a room with you? You think that you will be able to just wave your hand before my eyes and get me to say anything."

The little alien sneered.

"No, my lord, no, I will not put myself at risk in such a way. You claim that a dead pirate gave you my name. It is a shame that he is dead then, there is no one else to verify that we ever met, he might just have given you my name to throw you off the trail of the real person that you are looking for."

"By the time he gave me your name, creature," she hissed, "He was beyond lies, as you will be if you continue to try my patience."

The dug's orange eyes narrowed.

"Was that a threat?" he sneered.

"It was a statement of fact," she said with a cruel smile, "I don't make threats."

The little alien growled, all around them Telsuba's servants started to place hands on their weapons.

Keera cursed silently.

So much for this being a simple negotiation.

If this turned bloody it would not be good for her. She had given Vogga her word, if she broke it now it would cause even more harm to the neutrality that the Hutts and the Empire enjoyed. She did not wish to be the one responsible for breaking the peace, not when the Empire had so many other enemies to deal with right now.

"Perhaps we can offer you something in return, my lord."

Keera blinked.

Ro had stepped up next to her; she had not given him permission to speak, but…

"And who might you be," The alien asked, "Are you the one holding this Sith's leash?"

"I'm merely a humble representative of the Itae system," he said, "And as such I'm prepared to offer you what is necessary to help us deal with the matter of the attack on my home."

Keera glared at her old friend. She had not asked for his help, she had not needed it.

He had no right to step in.

"And what exactly would you be willing to offer?" the dug asked.

"You would be surprised," Ro said, "Itae has much to offer an ambitious…gentleman, such as yourself."

Keera fell silent; she could not believe that he was doing this.

"You forget yourself, lieutenant," she hissed.

"This is not a matter for one born on Dromund Kaas, my lord," he replied, "It was my home that was attacked, if I succeed in finding out who, than we both profit, is that not what we both desire?"

Keera almost responded and angrily, but stopped

"Please my lord," Ro said, "Let me do my job."

Keera looked back and forth between the alien and her old friend. What she felt surprised her.

Despite his refusal the Dug was not above bargaining, but he would only do so from a place of strength, not fear.

She had not shown him the proper respect, and it had nearly cost her. Telsuba clearly expected her to try to trick the information out of him, that or use the threat of physical violence to keep the price low.

Ro's choice to undercut her when he did amused the little alien.

She could sense the Dug's joy in seeing them fight for his attention; he liked to think that he had power over her.

Now that he had, it sounded like he was at last willing to deal.

Plus there was Ro's little comment about her place of birth; he knew that she had not been born on Dromund Kaas, which meant he was not being entirely honest to the dug.

We're just playing a game, she realized, and if Ro had proven anything it was that he was good at the game.

Damn, she thought.

He had outplayed her yet again.

He offered to play the heavy, but I refused, now that I've found myself playing the role, he might just be able to swoop in and get what we want.

Perhaps he had been right about how they should have played this from the very beginning, she thought.

She shook her head.

Damn it.

I'm never going to live this down.

"There are things that I could use lieutenant," the dug admitted, "Perhaps we could come to an arrangement. Your Sith friends are not known for their generosity"

"The Moff of the Itae system would be most grateful, and we would be more than happy to provide you with what you desire, provided that your information is good."

"Oh it is good, I promise you that," he replied, taking another puff from his cigara.

"Then let's bargain," Ro said, "Let us start with a name."

The alien snorted with amusement.

"I hope you are ready to pay handsomely for it?"

"We are prepared to do just that," Ro promised.

"What he can't cover," she said morosely, "The Sith will provide."

She glanced up at Ro.

"We do know how this game works."

Ro nodded, he did not need to say anything.

He understood.

"Good," the dug said, rubbing his little hands together.

"Then we can do business! I did not get the client's name, but I can tell you where he is staying. He is…"

There was a flash of light from outside the dug's officer.

The alien's head vanished in crimson spray.

His monocle struck Keera in the chest as his body slumped over.

She stood there, dumbfounded.

What? She thought.

What happened?

She cursed under her breath.

Vogga was going to be furious!

For a moment there was silence, you could have heard a pin fall in that room but then.

"_**BETRAYER!"**_

One of the Weequay bodyguards raised his blaster. He aimed at Keera's chest.

Ro drew his weapon and shot the creature down. Keera tried to restrain him from further violence, but it was too late.

Blasters and blades cleared their sheath.

From outside the window of the now dead Go-Between's office, a voice rang out.

"_**Darth Avaryss, Inquisitor Chayn sends his regards."**_

Another shot pierced the window, Keera drew her lightsaber.

That was all that it took.

Blaster bolts flew as curses and screams filled the air.

"Damn it," Keera spat as she cut down one of the Gamorrean guards.

"Shit!"


	27. Inferno

**Chapter 27: Inferno**

"**You stupid nerf herder, no one told you to shoot!"**

Keera was furious with Ro. They had finally managed to give the many hunters on their tail the slip, but in the meantime.

They were currently hiding in abandoned apartment, one just outside the district they had just fled. Through the dirty windows Nar Shadda's sky now was tinged with orange and red.

It is amazing we made it out alive, Keera thought.

The Force must have been truly with them for sure.

The flight from the Go-Between's dwelling had been complete and utter chaos, bodyguards shooting at them, bounty hunters and assassins shooting at them, and also trading fire with each other.

It had been madness, complete and utter madness!

It was amazing that they had managed to escape at all.

Surprisingly, Keera and Ro worked well together, she shielded him with her blade while shot down their enemies. When an enemy was undercover and could not be hit, she would deflect Ro's blaster bolt so that it would bounce and could inside the enemy's cover.

We fit well together, she thought, like a hand in a glove.

If only he was not so foolish, she thought.

If only we were not in this mess because of him!

They had managed to make it back to the ship just in time to see it explode, several of the bounty hunters had brought shoulder mounted rocket launchers and the weapons had been brought to bear before Holli and their other Oridannan volunteer could manage to get the shields up.

The Fury had exploded throwing shrapnel and flame the Nar Shadda night had turned into day for that one brief moment. Holli had come down the boarding ramp to try and shield Keera and Ro; otherwise the changeling might have died in the blast, died as Ro's fellow pilot had.

It had been too much, Keera thought, far too much.

They had tried to stop her with their pathetic weapons, but they had underestimated her power.

It was a power that had nearly consumed both her and them.

Yet, somehow, she had made it back with only a few scrapes and burns.

How she had managed that she could not say.

Even now the young dark lord was not sure how they had made it out alive. The dark side had answered her call and given her the power she had needed to survive, but still…

It should not have been necessary, if Ro had simply stood back and let her handle things.

Her fingers clenched into angry fists

_Damn it!_

_**Damn it to the darkest pits of hell!**_

She looked up at Ro; both of them were sooty and dirty. Their robes scorched by the fires they had used to cover their escape. Keera had torn off her mask when they were finally out of sight of their enemies. They had survived, yes, but it had been a very near thing.

They had been very close to death.

Their continued survival had been as much blind luck as it had been about the Force, and yes, despite everything she had seen and heard, she did occasionally recognize the value of chance. Here, both it and the dark side had aided them.

They were most fortunate to say the least.

Still, she did not like cutting things so close, she was a Dark Lord of the Sith!

She should have been in control from the very beginning.

Now that they were finally able to stop, she had turned her attention to Ro, to the mistake he had made back there. It had been foolish, foolish and unforgivable!

Even with the death of dug, it might have been possible to deal with the remnant of his followers, perhaps his successor was already in the room; perhaps she could have turned him to their side?

They should not have had to fight so hard to escape. She could have done it; she knew that she could have.

Her vision was tinged with red, her heart pounded in her ears, and her lip trembled with barely restrained anger.

She could sense Ro's emotions; he felt no shame and only a touch of fear.

She frowned.

Did he not understand what had happened? Did he not realize what she could do to him? Did he not know how she had rewarded failure and stupidity in the past?

Damn this man, she thought.

DAMN HIM!

"You had no reason to shoot," she hissed, her purple eyes narrowing dangerously.

"It was stupid."

She sensed his temper rise; clearly he did not like being called stupid, not even by a superior.

_Too bad_, she thought.

_If the shoe fit, he __**would**__ where it._

"I was protecting you," he snapped back, "the creature had a blaster! He was pointing it at you!"

"You think that is the first time that that has happened?! You think I don't know **how** to defend myself from a blaster?!"

"I couldn't take that chance," he spat back, "I wouldn't…!"

"It doesn't matter now," she hissed, turning away from him and pacing, the realization of what had happened washed over her. Not only had she failed to discover who had hired the pirates, but she had also caused a chain reaction that was even now burning at least two neighborhoods on Nar Shadda.

She could feel it from here, the dark side was rising, and people were dying in agony.

If she was not so concerned about the consequence she might face, she might have found it all…breath taking. She might have been standing somewhere basking in the power she had unleashed. Instead she was here, trying to think of what she was going to say when she got out of here.

Her master would not be pleased, and neither would Lord Marr.

It was **twice** the failure.

Surely she would be punished for it.

"I must find a way to salvage this," she said pacing, her mind working at near light speed.

"Someone will need to answer for this outrage," she said, "and it will not be me."

"Whoa there," Ro said, "Slow down a minute there Lylos."

She looked up at him, angry at the use of her family name.

He frowned; she felt a sense of disdain radiate from him.

"If you're looking for a sacrificial lamb," he said coldly, "Turn your gaze from me. It was _**you**_ that those bounty hunters were after. I heard them shout _**your**_ name, that and the name some Inquisitor."

Ro shook his head.

"If you are looking for someone to blame; then take it up with him. Otherwise you will simply have to admit that it was **your** fault, **your** enemies followed us here somehow, and now we're stranded."

He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Now you are going to have to find a way out of this."

She glared at him.

She was almost speechless with rage.

_How…how dare he?_

_Did he not know what she was?!_

"You blame me for this," she growled.

"No, I blame whoever hired those bounty rats. If not for them we would likely be on our way by now, instead we need to find a way off this world and hope that no one realizes that we are here, and that we made it out of the damn fire, a fire that you set by the way."

She sniffed; of course she knew who set it.

She had had no choice.

IOI

The hunters had chased them all the way back to the ship, and when it had exploded when they had been within sight of it, she had lost it. It had been too much, far too much.

She had let the dark side take her fully in its embrace, it had been so easy the anger within her had multiplied a thousand fold, fed by the hate and frustration in her heart, the dark side had fed her almost untold amounts of power. She had used it, much as she had done back on Taris years ago.

Pyro kinesis was an ability she did not use very much, but it that moment she had had both the will and the rage to fuel it. She had reached out to the burning wreckage that had been her ship. She had poured the dark side into the flames, and in that one sweet moment of pure dark side ecstasy, she had let flow freely through her.

The various hunters, assassins and thugs that had been pursuing them had not been paying attention, they had thought her cornered and were fighting among themselves almost as much as they were trying to kill her. It had not been a pursuit at that moment, it had been a riot, so many armed fools fighting for the chance to kill her and take her body back to whoever wanted it.

They had been fools.

You did not count a Sith as dead until the Sith lay bloody and broken at your feet.

She had made them pay for that arrogance.

She had made them pain dearly.

The spell fell from her lips like a lethal venom, the flames around her turned from orange and red to blue and violet they began to reach out to anything that would burn, growing stronger, responding to the call of the dark side.

Soon the burning ship was no longer a burning ship at all; it was as massive multi-headed serpent made of dark side flame. It was death incarnate, it was a firestorm.

Keera did not need to direct it, it had taken all of her rage to will it into existence, plus, she found she had no desire to try and direct it, all she had needed to do was unleash it, and that she did.

The thing lunged forward, the hunters and thugs fired their weapons at it, but it was pointless, it was simply flame, there was nothing to blast.

All they could do was burn!

It fell upon the bounty hunters and hired killers, they were swept away in the inferno, but even that was not enough. Keera's rage needed victims; months of frustration boiled over, and as the thugs retreated; the flames reached out for whoever and whatever they could touch. The spaceport began to burn, and then the warehouses around it.

Everything was being consumed.

Everything.

Keera stood within the flames, watching them spread feeling the waves of pure dark side energy flowing outward, only to come back and drown her in their icy cold depths.

She had giggled.

It was **glorious.**

_Intoxicating!_

_I can do it, she realized as her eyes blazed with power._

_I can make the greatest example of this miserable moon and its inhabitants._

She laughed, tears ran down her cheeks.

She could kill _everything_ on this moon!

What a wondrous thought.

She giggled again.

_**Glorious!**_

She was not sure how it happened but she found herself scooped up in a pair of strong arms, she had been so intoxicated by the destruction she had unleased she had even tried to resist.

Ro was carrying her, they were moving away from the fire, away from the glory she had unleased.

No, she thought.

No!

**I must stay and kill a world.**

**YOU CAN'T STOP ME!**

"Keera wake up," she heard him shout.

She reached out trying to claw his face with her hands; she snarled like a feral animal.

She had fallen from his arms, she began to rise and draw her lightsaber.

He would pay for dragging her away from what she had unleased. He would…

He slapped her.

It had not hurt, she had still been wearing her mask, but at the same time the force of the blow had woken her up, she found herself rising from the depths of the darkness she had unleased in her fury and frustration.

She found herself standing next to Holli and Ro, she blinked, confused.

What…what just happened?

'Come on," Ro had shouted grabbing her by her flesh and blood hand.

"Come on!"

She had not resisted, the darkness was still singing in her head. She felt that if she just listened a few more moments she would understand that song, that she might reach some great and undisputed truth.

She let him lead her away, and while they had been fleeing that had been when she had first started to grow angry with him, focus on the fact that he had shot the Weequay guard, that he had set off mad dash that had sent them fleeing in the first place.

New here he was standing before her, thinking that he had saved her life.

It was…it was…

_**ARGH!**_

She had almost no words to describe it.

IOI

"The fire worked didn't it?' she said haughtily.

"I covered our tracks."

"That you did," he admitted shaking his head, "But now everything is burning out there. You really think the people on those streets deserved the fires. Don't you think you went a little too far?"

Keera frowned.

_Ro did not understand._

_He likely never would._

The people of Nar Shadda were _nothing_ to her. They were less than nothing. Those people were not citizens of the Empire, they had no real value. They were weak creatures that existed only to serve the needs of the strong. If they were to die so that she could find a way to escape this moon, then they had served their purpose.

It was not the first time that a Sith had sacrificed their lessers to survive. The great Naga Sadow had done so during the final moments of the Great Hyperspace War.

Why should she be held to a higher standard? He had ruled an Empire.

She had refused to die. The people of Nar Shadda did not matter.

All life in the galaxy existed to serve the needs of the Sith, and in exchange the Sith gave them stability and order.

The people that were burning right now served to keep her alive, so that she could give the galaxy the Empire and order that it deserved.

What those people were doing now is what they were born to do, to die for the will of the Empire, the continued reign of the Sith.

It is what they had been born to do.

Now, Ro was questioning that, and in doing so revealing his own weakness.

It was beneath her to care about what was going on, she had gotten what she wanted.

She was alive, and he was blaming her for what happened.

"I did what was needed," she repeated.

"I don't blame you," he said in a soothing voice, "It…it just got a little out of hand."

He gave her a hopeful look.

"Can you stop it; give those people out there a chance?"

She considered what he said.

"It is no longer being fed by my power, it is just an ordinary fire now, the Hutts should be able to bring it under control, as for me, it has gone too far."

She shook her head.

"There is nothing I can do at this point."

He gave her a look that suggested that he thought she was lying.

It did little to improve her mood.

"Fine," he said nodding, "I'm…I'm not blaming you."

He sighed.

"It was just a little extreme…that's all."

_A little extreme_, she nearly rolled her eyes.

_He had no idea. How hard it had been not to let go and kill this entire wretched moon._

_A little extreme?_

_He had no idea._

Keera's blood continued to boil. Ro said he was not blaming her, but at the same time that it what it felt like.

Still he made a fair point about the bounty hunters, had they not been hired to kill her…?

She thought back to what she had heard when the dug had been killed.

_Darth Avaryss, Inquisitor Chayn sends his regards._

Her scowl deepened.

It was the second time she had heard that name. The first time had been on Korriban; the assassin that she had left in several pieces should have been proof enough of what happens when someone tries to come after her. Whoever this Inquisitor Chayn was, he should have gotten the point.

She took a shuddering breath.

She had done nothing after Korriban, which had been a mistake, or rather, Avy had done nothing. She should have sent Xen or Dym on the hunt. They could have dealt with this matter in her name.

Now…things had gone beyond a simple issue between two Sith. The man was actively interfering in Imperial Operations.

She would need to deal with that soon.

She stared into Ro's eyes, he was not sorry, he felt that he had done nothing wrong, which was not entirely true.

He was doing something wrong right now, he was opposing his lord.

She was tempted to do something about that.

Her emotions were raw, and close to the surface, the layers of control that she normally had had been stripped away by the chaos she had wrought. Her emotions were like an exposed nerve, and the dark side was feeding off of them.

The sensation made her heart pound.

She was excited.

She was still thirsty for blood!

Why not take it out on him, she wondered.

_Why not?_

_He was arrogant, and insolent._

_How best to punish him for that?_

She decided to reach out with her feelings, find whatever torments that Ro hid in his mind, what fears he had. He had to know the danger of angering a Sith. What did he fear that she would do to him?

As she stepped closer to him, he met her gaze and held it. Her senses were razor sharp thanks to the Force; she could hear his heart beating, his warm breath on her face.

It was easy to breach his mental barriers, he was a mundane, she had slipped inside his head without any resistance, she could not control his mind; that power was beyond her, but…

Her eyes widened in disbelief when she made contract.

What? She thought.

Oh my!

They were so close now; she would have to stand on her tip-toes if she wanted to stand eye to eye with him. He looked down upon her and at that moment his emotions were an open book.

Her own heartbeat quickened.

She had not expected…this.

Ro was thinking about what she could do to him…to discipline him, but it was not only fear that he was feeling, it was…need as well, need bordering on lust.

The sensation washed over her like a blast from a heat furnace.

It nearly took her breath away.

He thought about the past, their past. He thought about the girl he had known, and the woman she had become. He thought about all the things he had wanted to do with her, not simple life things, but **darker** things, more _intimate_ things.

Her mouth went dry.

It…it had been a long time…

…Far too long.

It seemed that Roan Wilkes had more of an imagination than she realized some of the things he wanted to do with her would likely have made a pleasure slave blush.

She should have been angry at his presumption, but she wasn't. She felt warm…very warm.

She took another nervous breath.

Why was it suddenly so hot in here?

They were so close now, so very close, the space between them barely non-existence.

"Ro," she purred hungrily.

She had had her fill of violence.

She wanted more!

She wanted everything.

She was acutely aware of the room, this vermin trap apartment.

She was aware of the bedroom.

She was willing to risk it.

Want.

She trembled.

I want!

"Keera," her old friend said in a husky voice.

"Ro," she whimpered, part lust, part surrender.

He leaned down, as she closed her eyes, her lips drifting closer to his.

Oh…Ro…

The sound of a polite cough interrupted them, breaking the spell between them.

Holli stood behind them, her uniform stained with ash from the fire, and grease from the engines.

"Um…My lord?" the changeling said.

Keera stepped back, she…she…

She shook her head.

What, she thought.

What was that?

She cleared her throat and stepped past Ro.

"Yes, Commander," she said, "What is it?"

Holli shifted uncomfortably; no doubt the changeling had seen what was happening, what she had interrupted.

For the best perhaps, Keera thought, trying to avoid Ro Wilkes gaze.

"I've found what looks like a hyper-comm," the engineer informed them, "I think I can get it working."

"Good," Ro said, "then we can call for a rescue ship. The Empire does have a presence on this moon, right?"

"It does," Holli agreed.

"Then we are safe."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

If only it were that simple.

"I'm not sure who currently hold Imperial power on Nar Shadda," she informed him, "I would rather not simply call for help only to find a rival ready to take advantage of me."

She turned back to Holli.

"Do we have long range comms? Can we contact the Emperor's Wisdom?"

"The set-up I found is short range only, I'm afraid."

Keera cursed under her breath.

"See what you can do about that," she ordered, "I will not look like some fool agent forced to call for help because of a minor hitch in my mission."

"It will be done," Holli said bowing, returning to her work.

Keera dared another glance at Ro, she was back in control again; her emotions finally back in check, pinned beneath her will.

"I'm going to go outside and keep watch," she informed him, "See if you can find something to help Holli. We will need supplies if we are to get out of this."

"I…I will see what I can do," he promised, but at the same time, he leaned in closer, she shivered, still feeling the heat from him, knowing what had they had almost done.

It is okay, she thought, she had done nothing.

Holli had saved her from making a big mistake.

She was grateful for that.

"Help Holli," she repeated slipping out through apartment door. She tried to ignore the pounding of her heart, and the desire that she had denied.

I don't need this right now, she thought.

The galaxy seems intent on testing me.

She took another breath, it should have calmed her but it did not, the anger and frustration remained, and in those emotions the dark side continued to burn inside of her.

_Don't step away_, the darkness within seemed to whisper_, you have been hiding from your emotions for too long._

_You want answers? They are right here?_

_What do you mean?_ She thought.

The voice was not Avy's; it was too strong to be Avy's

_Look upon your works_, it advised, _see for yourself. _

Keera did not resist, she made for the roof of the apartment complex.

She would do as the darkness advised.

She would look upon the chaos she had wrought.

Perhaps then, she would find the answers she sought.

You will, the darkness promised.

You will.

IOI

The entire eastern horizon was burning.

Keera looked upon the flames, the red and orange glow that lit the sky. She could just make out the fire ships and droids fighting to keep the flames from growing any farther.

She shook her head.

She should have felt…sorry for what had happened, she could sense the death and agony in those flames; she could feel the pain even from here.

She should have felt shame, sorry for what she had done, but she did not.

It was as she had told Ro.

These people were dying for a purpose, assuring her continued survival.

She saw her reflection in an oil slick near her feet, how the fire turned her skin a gentle gold, how the light played off her purple eyes.

Glorious, she thought.

Beautiful.

In her head she was already starting to compose an explanation for Vogga the Hutt, he would no doubt ask her what had happened. Fortunately, both her and Ro's helmets had built in cameras, she would be able to show that the bounty hunters outside had set these events in motion.

Yes, she would blame them, if they had not bothered to attack her, she would not have needed to unleash her fury on this world.

Why are you apologizing? The darkness whispered.

We still need the Hutts, she thought, the alliance.

_Politics,_ the darkness spat, fool girl, you have forgotten who and what you are. _You have been trying so hard to act like a politician, like a Darth, that you have __**not **__been acting like one. A Darth is death incarnate, people fear you, not the other way around._

She blinked at that thought.

Was…was that true?

Had she been neglecting what it truly meant to be a Lord of the Sith?

She wanted to deny it, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was true.

She had been playing the fool.

She had been so worried about offending those around her, the Dark Council, Lord Marr and the Cabal, the Imperial governors, Darth Sadi, and even her own master.

Her eyes narrowed, her anger building again, but this time it was directed at herself.

I've been playing the fool, letting myself be manipulated by those around me. I've been letting them use me as a punching bag, reacting when I should have been acting.

She shook her head.

Master Adaz would have been ashamed of her.

She could almost see his face, the pure blooded blade master of Fury 9, the Sith that had helped her begin her journey down the dark path.

"You're not a politician girl," Adaz seemed to say with a scowl, "Sith, like Feer and Marr, like their power games and schemes; that was never **your** strength. You can play the game, but it is in action where you excel, you don't want to manipulate others to doing your bidding, you want to do it yourself; you excel at taking the matter into your own hands."

"Yes," she murmured, "I always preferred the more hands-on approach," she thought staring into the distant flames.

_I did this._

_I destroyed those people; that place._

The thought made her smile.

She felt the darkness within her swell, she felt her pride swell.

_I've been an idiot_, she thought.

_I've been a __**fool!**_

She looked into those rising flames, how desperate the Hutts' bully boys were to put them out.

In the future, hunters would not be so quick to try to corner her, they would know fear, and they would know doubt…

…but it was not enough.

She would need to make an example of the one that hired these hunters; this Inquisitor Chayn needed to die slowly and painfully, his death would need to be a statement.

Much like the statement she had made by destroying the district around the spaceport.

Keera was _**not**_ to be taking lightly.

Darth Avaryss was _**not**_ to be taken lightly.

She would offer Vogga and the Hutt clans payment for what their thugs had forced her to destroy, but she would do it from a position of strength, if they did not accept her apology, she was sure their rivals would be willing to accept her patronage. She would make sure the Hutt understood that.

_Why have a dangerous enemy? When you can make a powerful friend?_

And yes, she intended to become much **more** powerful.

As she watched the flames rise, she came to an epiphany.

She knew how to save Oridanna.

She knew how to end the rebellion, and how to destroy her master.

It was all so simple.

How had she been so blind!

She almost laughed.

Emperor save me, she thought.

How could I have been so foolish!

"My lord?"

She had been so lost in her excitement, she had not even heard Holli, not even realized she had been approaching.

She needed to be careful with that moving forward.

"Yes, Lujayne?"

The engineer smiled.

"I have good news for you, my lord."

"You managed to contact _the Wisdom?"_

"Even better," she said motioning for the dark lord to follow her.

Keera did.

They passed by Ro, still hunting through the apartment for supplies. She would need to decide what she was going to do with him.

Would she satisfy her desires, or move on to better pursuits?

She would need to choose.

But that was for later, for now, she was eager to see what Holli had found.

"I was trying to piggyback a call to the Wisdom over a local channel, a call using your personal frequency, I was too late to make the connection, but someone picked up on the frequency, our frequency…"

"Someone?" Keera said, not seeing how that was a good thing.

"An old friend," Holli said pressing a button on the holo-comm.

A figure materialized on the holo-field, a young dark haired man dressed in an ill-fitting imperial fleet uniform. Even from here Keera could sense the man's insolence, his resistance to authority.

She smiled.

Holli was right.

This was good news.

"Hey Boss," Thranton Rink said with that cocky grin she knew so well.

"How're tricks?"

Keera almost laughed.

Mister Rink, her personal pilot and driver was on Nar Shadda. Which meant her original Fury was here somewhere, her ship was waiting somewhere on this wretched moon.

She was not stranded.

She was not a failure.

The dark side was right, and that was not all….

She now knew how to save her homeworld.

The dark side had just confirmed it; it was offering her a chance to do it, to complete her mission!

There was only one way to save Oridanna, both from the rebels and her master.

She would play to her strengths.

Sometimes you needed to tear something down before you could build up again, better and stronger.

She could not save her home as it was now; there was only one answer, the right one.

Oridanna must be **destroyed!**

She would kill the mockery that Feer had made of her home. She would burn it away, and from the ashes she would build a new world, a world fit to be the throne world of a Sith Lord.

Sadi would die!

Bael would die!

Moff Galek would die!

Darth Feer…would die!

She giggled.

Rink would take her off this world, and back to Oridanna, and then…the dying would begin.

_It is time_, she thought.

Master Adaz was right.

Oridanna needed to burn.

A firestorm is coming!

And she was the spark.

She would ignite the inferno, and when everything was consumed…Oridanna would be free.

She would be free

Free to rule her people, free to rule…

…with both shadow and flame.


	28. Allies Old and New

**Chapter 28: Allies Old and New**

The cantina was called…the Buffer Zone.

_It was a strange name to be sure,_ Keera thought, _but no less strange than other watering holes throughout the galaxy._

This particular cantina had been Thranton Rink's home for the last few months. He had found himself back on Nar Shadda hunting a lead on his lost love, the Twi'lek girl that Keera knew as Tia. Thought the two had never met, she did know a little something about Rink's relationship with her, the desire he felt for her. During their first meeting Avy had used a Sith glamour to disguise herself as the girl, to get some information out of Rink. The gambit had failed, but it had brought the former Nar Shadda street rat into the service of the Sith.

Keera hoped to see him return to that service. Her plans were just starting to take shape in her mind.

Rink would be a most useful tool in carrying out those plans.

The cantina was halfway across the planet, Keera could have ordered Rink to meet them, but quickly decided against it.

She did not doubt that at least a few hunters were still looking for her. Not everyone would be certain that she had been consumed by the flames that she had unleashed.

Yes, it was better to be safe than sorry. They would go to Rink and from there; Keera would be able to plan her next move.

There was still a chance of salvaging this mission. The Dug might have been dead, but he was hardly the only go-between on the smuggler's moon. Keera was willing to bet that at one of those go-betweens might have been watching the dug, either to aid him in his work or seek to replace him.

She would use Rink to seek out whoever this being might be.

As she thought about that, she realized how badly she had handled this mission from the start.

She should have realized that the opposition would be keeping an eye on the dug. He may have just been caught in the crossfire of the hunters trying to bring her down, but it was also possible that **her **enemy, whoever it was, had taken steps to keep the little alien from spilling what he knew to the wrong people.

_It is what she would have done if she had been caught in that position._

She was clearly dealing with someone who knew what they were doing. Whether Oridannan rebels or someone seeking to use the rebellion to **their** advantage.

_I need to be more careful moving forward_, she thought.

_The enemy is far more skilled than anticipated._

_She would have to be much more mindful._

After salvaging what they could from the apartment, the young Sith and her allies started off. They would need to rely on public transport for the time being, spreading too many credits around was suspicious, especially given what was happening with the war. It was not safe to draw too much attention to themselves. Of course, that meant that they needed disguises. A Sith and two imperial officers would be recognized. Fortunately, Nar Shadda was a civilized world…sort of.

They had no trouble acquiring the items they needed.

Holli had proven invaluable in that arena. Once again her shapeshifting served her mistress well, She had left the apartment disguised as a male Rodian, and returned a few hours later both with clothing and the proper clearance for travelling on the planet. Keera had needed to throw a few credits around, but that was okay.

Her interests in Thunn Cyber Systems made sure that she was never in the need for wealth. She was probably one of the richest Sith on Dromund Kaas not that anyone realized that, she did not advertise that wealth. It was yet another weapon in her arsenal, one that she preferred to use like a scalpel rather than a bludgeon.

Ro had been surprised of course, not with the ease by which the proper clearance could be purchased, but because he learned Holli's secret. The Engineer had been hesitant, understandably, but Keera reassured her friend.

Ro Wilkes was many things, but he would not betray them. His loyalty to the empire, and his desire for Keera would serve to make sure that he did nothing foolish.

Of course, that did not mean that he had nothing to say.

"You do remember all those stories we heard about changelings when we were kids, right?" he had asked her.

Keera chuckled.

"Holli has saved my life several times, even when it would have been easier for her to simply leave me behind."

The Sith shook her head.

"No, you have nothing to fear of Lujayne Holli; she is a loyal imperial, and a friend."

She turned to him then, her eyes pinning him coolly in place.

"I trust that you will keep this secret. As I said, Holli is a friend, and she values her privacy. I would be most displeased should anyone in the Oridanna government learn about her…condition."

Most imperials would have heard the threat in her words, perhaps Ro did too, but if he did, he did not acknowledge it.

He merely shrugged.

"No one will hear anything from me," he promised, "A friend of yours is a friend of mine."

Keera smiled.

It was nice to know that somethings didn't change. Ro had always had her back when they were children, perhaps he still did.

It was…refreshing to say the least.

She reached out and stroked Ro's cheek; he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"Thank you," she purred.

He reached up and touched her fingers; she felt a spark at the gentleness of his touch, the merest of caress.

It made her heart skip a beat.

Again she felt his desire through the Force, a mix of affection and lust washed over her, making her shiver with anticipation.

Her body warmed with thoughts of what they might do when they were not on duty. What he might do if she allowed it.

Such thoughts made her mouth grow dry.

_Why not?_

_Desire before duty, young Sith._

_Not yet_, the darkness within her whispered, _you need to stay focused on your mission._

Later, there will be time for such revels later, don't be weak.

She took a shuddering breath.

Yes, she thought.

Anticipation will make the final surrender that much sweeter, that much more…exciting...

Plus, when she did give him what he desired, it would bond him to her in strongest and most…intimate of ways. It would be a gambit that they both would enjoy, and useful to her plan.

She did not even need to worry about Fenn, what would happen would simply be a part of her agenda, a move to advance her plans.

It would be fun, and it would slake a sense of curiosity she had possessed since she had been a little girl.

Fenn wouldn't need to worry, not that she ever expected him to find out.

It would be pleasure, but that was it.

In the end…it would mean nothing.

She stepped away from him, enjoying the hint of disappointment that radiated off of him.

Was he already so deeply drawn to her?

How truly useful that would be.

"I need to go change," she said in a husky voice, the disguise that Holli had found for her in her hands.

"I'll be right back."

He grinned that boyish grin she remembered from when they were children. She could feel his eyes upon her as she walked away; she put a little more sway in her step, giving him something to watch.

She smiled to herself.

Yes.

He would be most useful when the time was right.

"I will be counting the seconds," he said.

She looked back and gave him a sly grin.

We will need more than seconds," she assured him.

His grin widened.

"I will hold you to that, Lylos."

She laughed lightly, her expression coy.

"Of course you will…"

"I would not have it any other way."

IOI

The journey to meet with Rink took most of a day, the three moved from transit car to transit car. The farther they got from the fires the less notice they attracted, not that most people noticed. Everyone was looking for a Sith and her entourage.

The three no longer looked anything like that.

Ro wore the trousers and shirt of a common Nar Shadda bully boy. He mussed up his hair, and added a bit of grease both to it and his finger nails. His experience hunting criminals on Oridanna had taught him not only how such thugs dressed, but walked and talked as well.

On first glance, Keera would never have suspected that Ro Wilkes was a peacekeeper, he certainly did not look the part; he now looked like any other barely tamed ruffian wandering the back alleys of the smuggler's moon.

Surprisingly, seeing him like that, it only excited her further.

It would be fun to explore where the peacekeeper ended and the rough and tumble rogue she saw now both began and ended.

Discipline was important in every relationship; she would be most…interested in disciplining the young lieutenant, finding out just what a bad boy he could be.

_Stop it,_ the darkness whispered again.

_Not now._

Again she was forced to hold back her own desires, to try and remain focused on her mission.

There would be plenty of time for pleasure later.

For now…she had work to do.

Holli's disguise was as always impressive, gone was the red haired imperial engineer, and in her place stood a seven foot tall brute of a creature, a creature covered in shaggy fur, with a long face and a pair of short tusks jutting out from her lower lip.

It is called a Whiphid," the changeling had informed her in the creature's gruff gargly voice; "T'Vonn a skilled hunter of the species often had need of my family's talents when I was a girl."

The engineer snuffled with pride.

"He died years ago, but his form should serve us well now. Few people would dare get in the way of a Whiphid."

Keera had nodded.

She had no problem understanding why.

As for herself, her transformation was even easier, she had rarely taken her mask off in public these last few years, and even when she did, she no longer looked like the Sith who had stood before the Dark Council on Korriban and been declared a Darth for her actions at the battle of the Inferno Nebula.

If anything, she looked like the farthest thing from a Darth, which in this moment was an advantage.

The gown that Holli had found for her was pricey, but not so extravagant that it would attract hungry thugs looking for a mark to shakedown. Deep blue with black diamond patterns, it was kind of dress that some lord's emissary might wear, fitting for high society, but with just enough common touches to suggest that the wearer was not high society herself. It was slightly off-shoulder showing only a hint of skin, lose fitting in parts, but still revealing her curves, attractive, but not over the top. A dark blue cape with silver lining completed the look, hiding much of her form and features. Goggles traditionally worn by business beings slumming on Nar Shadda completed the look. At first glance no would guess that they were looking at a Sith Lord moving among the rabble, which was of course the point.

If anyone official looking asked for her identification, she had that ready too. As of this moment, she was simply Keera Lylos of Taris, a low level executive of Thunn Cyber Systems. She was currently visiting the smuggler's moon on behalf of her employer Sego Thunn, who was looking to purchase droid upgrades that were not considered…entirely "above board" in Republic space.

It was as good a cover story as any, she had spent the last year reading reports from her droid 1A-K3, it had taught her much about the current situation in the droid manufacturing business, she was by no means an expert, but what she knew would be more than enough to pass any cursory inspection.

Yes, the cover story was good enough to fool most, and if it wasn't, if someone did force her hand in anyway.

The sleeves of the gown were quite wide and puffy, more than enough to hide her lightsaber up her sleeve, and if the need came to draw it, the person who saw it would not be telling anyone about it.

She would make sure of that.

So it was that the young executive and her two bodyguards made their way across Nar Shadda. The Cantina that Rink had directed them to was in a more…civilized part of the planet. According to Rink several corporation pad the Hutts good money to use their own security forces in the sector.

Which meant that anything the corporations did here was golden; if anyone tried to act against corporate interests they would vanish will little or no chance of anyone turning up any evidence of wrong doing, they would simply be gone.

Keera could respect that.

She would not blame anyone for protecting what was theirs.

The Buffer Zone was not far from several corporate offices, both connected to their own guard barracks. Troopers wearing no governmental symbols watched the three as they passed, but did nothing. As far as they knew the young hooded woman had business with their corporate masters.

They would not dare interfere with such business, not if it risked hurting their pocketbooks.

As for the cantina itself it was a plain nondescript building, the only decoration it bore outside was the name in neon light, that and a flag containing both the symbol of the Empire and the Republic.

Interesting, Keera thought.

Rink had warned her not to lose her temper when she arrived, what she would see in the cantina might not agree with her Sith sensibilities.

She was not sure what he had meant by that, but as she stepped through the door, she understood.

What is this, she thought, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Traitors!

Like many cantinas scattered across galaxy this one seemed to cater mostly to soldiers, unlike most cantinas this place was not exclusively Empire or Republic. She saw soldiers from both governments. Sith and Republic officers drank at the bar while off duty troopers from both sides played pazaak and sabacc.

Excusable diversions, but that was not the only thing that caught her eye.

In one of the back booths, she thought she could see a Republic lieutenant making out with a Sith ensign, the girl was practically sitting in the man's lap.

Traitors, she thought again.

Enemies!

She could feel her fingers curling into fists, could sense the lightning wanting leap from her fingers.

I should kill them, she thought.

I could kill them all.

A few heads lifted as she entered, she half expected the Sith troopers to leap to their feet, to stand at attention and beg her mercy and forgiveness.

Not a single one did, their curiosity satisfied they returned to their games and…diversions.

She almost howled in fury.

Blind fools!

Did they not know who stood before them?!

She would make them pay!

She would…

She felt a hand on her shoulder; the touch was warm but firm.

Ro.

She glanced over her shoulder.

"Low profile," he murmured.

"Remember."

Whether it was his touch, his words, or the connection growing between them, she was not sure, but the result was the same.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Her rage went with it.

The red haze faded, and with it she was thinking again.

Now she understood why Rink had warned her.

Hm, she thought.

Speaking of Mister Rink.

She reached out with the Force, nothing to invasive, merely a gentle mental touch.

Ah, she thought, her smile returning.

There he was.

Thranton Rink sat at one of the back booths, his back to the wall, and his eyes on the entrance. The dark haired young man had not changed much since they had last seen each other. He still wore his imperial uniform, the coat both open and far too big to be considered standard issue, but fitting the sense of insolence that seemed to radiate off the pilot. A shadow of a beard graced his jaw, his black hair was a bit longer than she remembered, but beyond that, through the Force he was much as he had been.

Rink had always had an odd Force signature, it flowed strangely around him, and sometimes it was a gentle breeze, other times it blew like a hurricane.

It was blowing like a hurricane right now; no doubt affected by what choices she would offer him.

She was determined to see that the swirling Force was turned to her advantage.

Rink had served her well in the past.

She would not let him do anything less now.

Unlike the other patrons of this place, his attention was fully settled on her, despite the cloak and gown he clearly recognized his master when she entered the room. He did not rise of course, but, given the people here, that might draw unwanted attention.

Rink was smart enough not to do that.

Instead he gestured her forward.

She moved to his side, the few patrons in her way moved aside to make way for her two guards.

Keera did nothing provocative; she did not wish to reveal what she truly was. She did not think that a Sith Lord would be welcome in such a place. These men and women had come here to forget the war.

Seeing one of the Sith Masters would definitely not appreciate that reminder.

Rink's grin widened when he saw her.

"Boss," he said bowing his head slightly.

She removed her hood, letting him see her face.

"Mister Rink," she said, "It has been awhile."

Rink's eyes widened slightly.

"What?" Keera demanded.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, Boss," he said quickly, "Just…you…you look so different. It is just…wow! You look great!"

She should have been angry, but she was not. In fact, she could not entirely kill the blush that crept into her cheeks.

Still…she should not have been surprised. The physical changes she had experienced had only just begun when Rink had left her service. Back then she had still had still had the bone white skin and red eyes that she had had since Fehl had died back on Korriban.

"I take it you approve?" she said.

"I have no complaints," he smirked, "Is it some kind of illusion, one of your spells or something?"

Keera frowned.

If only it was.

She still had no real idea why the change in her appearance had occurred. Most Sith viewed the signs of dark side necrosis as a mark of power. They did not pity the Sith that showed such physical symptoms, if anything they envied the power within them, the power that could reshape the very flesh of their body.

It was like an ancient Sith Scholar had said long ago.

The dark side was one sickness that no dark lord would wish to be cured of, it was what they sought, and coveted with all their heart.

Power was power.

Some Sith sorceresses did use glamours to appear unaffected by the changes. Darth Zash had been famous for hers. Keera, or rather Avy, had never really cared; her vanity was not something that concerned her.

Beauty was fleeting power was eternal.

When the changes had first began Avy had blamed Keera for them, she feared that Keera's presence was pulling them towards the light, but that had never been the case.

Keera had no interest in the light; its lies had no sway over her. She remained as committed to the dark side as she since her days on Fury 9.

As for the weakness of Avy's powers, why so many of her spells had failed in the past few months, Keera knew why that had happened.

She had caused it.

She had fought her other-self tooth and nail. She had drawn strength from Avy, denied her where ever and whenever she could. She had desired only to weaken Avy, emerge from the shadows and reclaim control of her body, and it had worked.

She was finally back in control.

It was just a shame that she and Avy had come to an agreement before it had finally happened. Had she fought to the end Keera would respected and win more.

She did not miss Avy, but she did feel slightly cheated.

I should have torn control of my body from Avy, ripped it from her grip, just as I will rip the power from Darth Feer's when our final confrontation happens.

A victory easily won did not taste as sweet, but it was a victory.

She tried to stay focused on that.

She sat down at the table across from Rink. Holli and Ro took defensive places next to her.

Rink smiled up at the Whiphid.

"That you Lou?" he asked.

"What do you think," the Whiphid growled back.

The former street rat chuckled.

"Yeah, that is you," he said.

His eyes fell on Ro.

"And who might this be, boss," he asked.

"New boyfriend?"

Again the blush flooded her cheeks.

Ro was…was…

She swallowed hard.

It was…complicated.

""Roan Wilkes, of the Oridanna security volunteers," he informed her old ally.

He gave Rink a dirty look.

"I'm here to protect her."

Rink chuckled at that.

"If you saw her fight, you would know she does not need protecting."

He turned back to Keera again.

"You said on the holo that you needed help?"

She nodded.

"My ship was destroyed. I will need transport back to the Empire."

Holli leaned in closer, her breath hissing over her tusks.

"I trust the ship is still space worthy," she growled, "I trust you have taken good care of my baby?"

Rink laughed.

"Same old, Holli," he said, "Don't worry; the ship is in perfect working order."

He turned back to Keera.

"You know me, boss," he said, "Always ready and willing to help, but…"

She gave him a dirty look; it stopped him in his tracks.

"But?"

His grin returned, but it was not as cocky as it had been. He likely knew he was skating on very thin ice.

He was not a total fool; he knew to pick his words very carefully.

"I need to take care of something first. It has taken me almost a year, but finally I've managed to track her down."

Rink grinned from ear to ear.

"Tia is here, boss. I've found her."

"Your little Twi'lek girl is here?"

He nodded.

"She returned to Nar Shadda?"

"Not by choice," he added, "The people she is involved with never stayed anywhere too long, but with the war on, they needed to return to Nar Shadda far sooner than they would have normally, they needed supplies."

He shrugged.

"If you need something, no better place to go than the smuggler's moon, everything is available here. "

"For a price," she added.

"Yeah," he agreed, "For a price."

Keera nodded thoughtfully.

"Time is of the essence," she said, "I need to be off this moon as soon as possible."

She sighed.

"You have been away from my service for too long, Mister Rink, I find myself with enemies all around, and I could use a few trusted allies."

"Have I ever steered you wrong, boss," Rink asked, "I would be grateful if you helped me with this. We always seemed to pull off the impossible with you around."

He grinned.

"Perhaps we can do so again."

She frowned at that.

"Is finding your friend impossible?"

"The people she travels with don't leave many tracks, and they don't let their associates go easily."

Ro gave him a suspicious look.

"Is this girl a slave or a willing ally of these people?"

Rink shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"I can't say for sure, she was a willing ally when she left, but I've been hearing things about these people. They are not the kind of people you walk away from."

"If these people were so dangerous, why try to deal with them on your own," she asked, "The friendship of a Sith can open may doors."

She shook her head.

"Why did you wait? Why did you not come to me first?"

"I already owe you a lot, boss, but…I thought I could handle it" he admitted, "You were fighting a war; I didn't think you would leave whatever mission you were on to help me. Plus, I didn't want to get any deeper in your debt, and…"

She did not push any further.

She understood the desire to do things unaided. Self-determination was a Sith trait, and she would not deny another's need to handle their private matters.

Still…

"As I said," she repeated, "I cannot afford to wait. I will aid you in this mission. Tell me, what is your plan?"

Rink grinned.

"Thanks, boss, I really appreciate this."

"Think nothing of it," she said dismissively, "Now, what are we doing?"

Rink nodded, and took a deep pull of the drink in front of him.

She could feel his gratitude, it pleased her.

"There is someone I need to talk to," he said, "He's an information broker, he is expensive, but…"

"And he knows about your lady's friends?" she asked.

"If what I hear his true, he knows pretty much everything that goes on here. Every shady deal that happens on this moon, he knows about them all.

That news made Keera smile.

_Every shady deal_, he had said.

_How about a deal between a dug go-between and an Oridannan rebel?_

She almost laughed.

_It seemed that the Force was with her again._

Rink and her had once again had found themselves drawn together, the Force that swirled around him had drawn exactly what she needed into her orbit.

How wonderful, she thought.

It seemed that her gentle touch in dealing with her allies once again would pay off.

Rink had exactly what she needed, not just a ship, but the means of completing her mission.

Once again, the Force provides, she thought.

She smiled hungrily.

I will trust in the Force.

Its will be done.


	29. The Eye of the Needle

**Chapter 29: The Eye of the Needle**

"Ah, Thranton, my dear boy, it has been too long!"

The alien gave Rink a wide toothy smile.

"Are you here to pick up your order? I just finished it an hour ago.

Keera looked around the creature's shop. Her expression was guarded, but could not entirely hide her sense of surprise.

When Rink had told her that they would be meeting with an information broker, she had thought that they would be going to some shady cantina or perhaps one of the Moon's many casinos. She had expected a scum den, a den like the one where she had encountered the Dug go-between.

Instead, she had found something…quite different.

The information broker lived only a few blocks from the Cantina. Rink had led the way while the rest of the group had followed. The pilot had taken them down a small side street, an alley off the main transportation route.

The alley had led into a small round-about filled with five small shops. Unlike most of Nar Shadda these establishments did not seem rundown or illegitimate; in fact, they seemed like the type of businesses you would find on a Republic core world, or in one of the smaller settlements on Dromund Kaas.

A flower shop, a butcher, a tailor's shop, a droid repair bay, and what looked like a small cafe filled up the tiny alley. All five shops were well-lit and had signs that told what service they offered, both in Huttese and in basic.

The alley as if it belonged on another world, certainly not in the heart of Nar Shadda.

Ro and Holli remained outside, to keep watch and make sure that she wasn't disturbed during her meeting. Ro was not happy about that, but was smart enough not to question.

When it came to an imperial superior and order was an order.

Rink made for the Tailor, a neon needle and thread shone in silver and gold light. A small chime sounded when they entered

Keera looked around.

Once again, it was not what she expected.

The place was clean to the point of being brand new. The air smelled of leather and warm wood. Several holographic figures modeled what clothes were on offer, while a single, one wheeled; servant droid clucked softly to while it dusted the various racks around the store.

_Cozy,_ Keera thought, _and unthreatening._

She smiled slightly.

_Looks_, she knew, _could be deceiving._

The proprietor had appeared a few seconds after they had entered. It was a brown furry alien, with a squat tan colored face and to long pointed cones rising from his head. The fact that he had addressed Mister Rink by name hinted at the fact that he was the creature that her pilot had brought her here to meet.

Large brown eyes watched her with a mix of curiosity and on concern.

"Hey Feltipern," Rink said to the alien, "I **am **here to pick up my order, but also to provide an introduction."

He grinned and gestured Keera forward.

"Feltipern, I would like to introduce you to my boss. Boss, this is Feltipern Keez, the third finest tailor on Nar Shadda."

"Second," the alien said correcting him, "Kinsa Fardreamer left for Coruscant a month ago. Poor dear wanted to try applying our trade in the core. I wished her well, but I had no problem absorbing her patrons into my own."

Rink laughed at that.

"Good for you," he said.

"And better for my clients," the alien agreed, "Poor Kinsa, her fingers were not what they once were. Those who went to her have seen a definite improvement in their garments since I've come into their lives."

The alien gave Keera a gentle smile.

"But I'm sure you are not here to discuss clothes. I've seen the look on your face before, in many of my customers. You are not here to clothes the body; you wish to clothes the mind. You seek information, yes? I'm more than willing to provide, my lady, or perhaps I should say…my lord."

The creature's smile widened,

"It has been some time since a Sith Lord graced my humble establishment with their presence. I do hope that you find what you are looking for."

She glanced over at Rink, who shrugged. Clearly he was as surprised as she was that the tailor had recognized her.

"And how do you know that I'm Sith?" she asked.

The alien laughed a strange bleating sound that was not entirely unpleasant.

"These are not simply for show, my lord," he said pointing to the cone shaped horns on his head. "The Gotal people have long had an affinity for sensing the Force. What I sense around you, is all that I needed to guess what you were. Plus, considering the fact that Rink looks to you as a superior and is wearing an imperial uniform, it is not hard to guess your occupation, even if you were trying to hide it."

Keera lip twitched, this creature saw much; that was clear.

"So you are both a tailor and an information broker," she said looking around his shop, "An interesting choice of dual professions."

She gave him a cold smile.

"I trust that your information gathering skills are as fine as your skill at hemming pants and dresses," her words had been dry, almost insulting

If the Gotal was offended he did not show it.

He simply smiled and chuckled.

"The tailor shop actually came later," he confessed, "I find the work…soothing. In my youth I was something of a troublemaker. I grew up to become an excellent thief. Of course, it was not until I was out of my teens that I learned that a person's data pad could be twice as valuable as anything he had in his pockets. Sadly, I learned that lesson too late. I made mistakes, and was forced to answer for them, but it was for the best. It was during that time that, I learned of my skills in the tailor business, during a brief…vacation from my home."

Vacation?

Keera smile slightly.

_In other words, prison_, still she was not to question a being's origins. Rink seemed to think this Feltipern Keez could be useful.

She was willing to entertain that idea a while longer.

"Rink informs me that you were tasked with finding out some information," she said inspecting a rather lovely silken dress.

"I'm here to clear his debt, and to seek a bit of information of my own, if you are not already engaged in other matters of course."

"Not at all," the Gotal said with a shrug, "As I said, information is a part of my business; I'm more than happy to discuss what I know, if the price is right, of course."

Of course," she agreed, she had never expected to get something for nothing.

"What is your price?"

"That depends on what do you wish to know, my lord? Some things are more expensive than others.

She nodded.

Very well, then, she thought.

We will see just how good this creature is.

IOI

A few minutes later she found herself standing on a holographic pad while the tailor took her measurements and overlaid holographic versions of his various wares over her body. She had to admit, the man was not wrong about his skills as a tailor, some of the things he offered were quite beautiful.

It was a strange way to conduct a meeting, but both Rink and the Gotal insisted. This was the way he preferred to conduct business, in case anyone unforeseen stopped by, all they would see was the Tailor helping design a gown for a young woman, nothing more.

Of course, it was more than that, Keera could hear a slight hum in her sonic dampeners; they primarily protected her oversensitive hearing, but could also be used to detect dampening fields. The pad she was standing on likely was for jamming any recording devices that Master Feltipern's customers might have had on their person. Likely it was to ensure that someone did not escape with some information that they had not paid for.

A careful being, Keera thought with a hint of a smile.

She preferred to do business with careful beings; they were less likely to make mistakes.

As he worked she told him about what was looking for. She told him of the attack on Pholis, and the fact that the go-between, Telsuba, had hired the pirates involved. Now she wished to know who had commissioned the outlaws for that attack. The dug had died before he had a chance to tell her anything.

"Raise your left arm please," the Gotal said.

She complied as he took more measurements, entering them on a data pad.

"Is it possible," she asked. 'Could you find the information that I seek?"

"I think so," he said with a nod, "I will need twenty four hours, but I think that I can accommodate your needs."

"Excellent," she said, "then all we need to discuss is the price."

"How much do you want?"

The Gotal smiled at her, his large flat teeth shining in the light of his shop, his large dark eyes twinkled with a bit of mischief.

"Credits are all well and good, but considering what I found out for Mister Rink, I believe that a favor would be a more appropriate form of compensation."

"A favor," she said glancing at herself in the mirror, admiring the way the dress would look when it was done.

"What sort of favor?"

"Something that only a Sith could provide," he said pressing several buttons on his pad, the cut of the gown shifted slightly, become more off the shoulder.

"Thranton came to me at a most interesting time," the Tailor explained, "He was looking for information on an old acquaintance and those she was travelling with. Ironically enough, he was not the only one looking for girl's friends; several other clients have come to me lately wishing to know more about them."

So the Gotal was trying to use Mister Rink, she thought, interesting.

"From the familiarity with which you speak of him, I'm guessing you have had past dealings with my dear pilot?"

"We've had dealings over the years," the Gotal admitted, "I make sure that the children that live around here know that I pay decently for anything useful that they might hear. Both Thranton and poor little Tia have worked with me in the past, mostly when they were first cast out onto the streets. They, and other children like them, found things out when I needed them. Perhaps that is why Thranton came to me, and at the time that he had made an ally in the Sith Order."

The Tailor grinned widely.

"Quite a useful coincidence, don't you think?"

"I would say it was more the will of the Force than anything else," she said with a shrug, "Still you have not answered my question."

"But it is all related you see, I found our dear Tia for Thranton, but the situation is not as simple as it might seem, those that she is travelling with will likely not let her go lightly."

"And who are these people?" she inquired.

"Droid Supremacists," the Gotal replied with a hint of distaste, "Cultists really, they view the return of the Sith as a sign of the end of everything. They believe that the war between the light and the dark will destroy the galaxy, and that a new world is about to be born, one ruled over by droids."

"An interesting idea," she said.

"Yes," The Gotal said, "And one made even more popular when the war resumed several months ago. Since that time these cultists have been gathering supplies and components. Some of these components were stolen from customers of mine, customers that would like to know how such people knew what they were building in the first place."

"And that is the favor?"

"The favor is retrieving an experimental icebreaker that the cultists have designed. My sources have informed me that that is how they have managed to raid the various companies here on Nar Shadda. Do understand that, these Droid Supremacists are not fools; they are highly skilled in matters of programing, slicing, and droid modification. The group finds intelligent, yet directionless people, and gives them something to fight for, a goal to work for."

"Droid supremacy," Keera said, still not really understanding, "But as organics, aren't they worried that they will be forced to live as slaves in this new world, if they get to live at all?"

"They are willing to accept the role as servant, it is much better to stand at the conqueror's side then to stand in his way. They feel that they will survive the coming holocaust by being useful to the new masters."

Keera nodded.

Fanatics, she thought.

Wonderful.

"But why not handle this matter yourself?" she asked, "You seem to be a most skilled and intelligent being, why not simply hire some independent contractors and retrieve this icebreaker yourself?"

The Tailor sneered at that.

"I assume by contractors you mean, bounty hunters. It would not be wise to hire such people to handle this, considering where the cultists have chosen to hide."

"And where is that?"

"Shadowtown," the Gotal answered, and in that moment, Keera understood.

Ah, she thought.

No wonder the creature needs a Sith Lord's aid.

Shadowtown was an open prison on Nar Shadda, a prison that was run by the Empire. It was in Shadowtown that Sith kept people who they considered dangerous, but also still useful.

If the cultists were hiding there..?

"Are the cultists allied with the Empire? Is that why you needed a Sith's help?"

"I've seen no evidence to suggest that they people are imperial allies," he assured her, "It is more likely that they have bribed their way in, and are using the fear of Sith to protect their interests."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

So they are using us as a shield. It was not impossible, most of the best and most loyal of the Sith army were now fighting on the front lines. Those that had been left behind to handle operations like Shadowtown were far from the most trustworthy of the Sith's imperial allies.

Her sense of patriotism roiled at such an idea.

It would be one thing if these people were contributing to the Imperial war effort, but if they were simply hiding like rats within the Sith's walls?

She pursed her lips in distaste.

They would need to be…educated on what happened to those that did not pay the Sith Master's their proper due.

"I know where the cultists are based," the Gotal said, "That is the information that Thranton wanted, Tia is among them, as far as I know. I will give you this information as a sign of good faith, and as a means of paying for the information that you require."

The Gotal gave her another toothy grin.

"Bring me the icebreaker, and I will tell you everything you want to know."

Keera considered his offer.

You do not have to pay if you don't wish to, the darkness within her whispered. You can hurt this creature; hurt him until he complies with your every demand.

The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Why bother jumping through hoops at all?

You can take what you want.

She was tempted; she could not deny that, however, doing so would waste a potential resource.

Did she truly wish to do that?

Yes, it would be amusing torturing what she needed out of the Gotal, but what if the Force drew her back to Nar Shadda again? What if she needed Feltipern Keez's services again?

Avy had never believed in wasting what was useful.

Keera liked to think that she didn't either.

Mindless fun was not the point. Every resource she had access to made her that much stronger.

And speaking of resources, she understood something else as well.

"You wanted me here," she said to the Gotal, "Or rather, someone like me? When Rink came to you wearing an Imperial uniform you hoped that he would involve a Sith Master. You needed a way into dark town. That is why you did not simply make Rink an offer for the information on his girl."

The tailor smiled pleasantly.

"I am a business man, my lord, and like most business men, part of my life is looking at both long and short term gain. I hoped that young Thranton would be able to bring a Sith here, and I also hoped that the Sith would see the value in what I could offer, that they would choose not to squander what I offered them. My network on Nar Shadda is quite extensive, I hear many things."

He shrugged.

"I took a risk involving a dark lord, but I thought it was a smarter option. You could have killed me for what I know; perhaps you are even still considering it."

He bowed his head respectfully.

"I hope you can see the value in having a working relationship with me; if not simply for the information that I can provide, then perhaps the skill of my hands as well."

He chuckled again.

"A good tailor is hard to come by in these troubled times, do you not agree, my lord?"

She gave the tailor a sly smile.

He had manipulated Mister Rink into bringing her here. He had counted on the fact that her pilot still had Sith connections. It was a risky move, considering how many of her brothers and sisters would have reacted.

She let the alien sweat for a few moments; she said nothing, letting him think that she liked the idea of simply killing him or torturing him into giving her what she wanted.

She waited until she felt the first hint of fear before finally responding.

She laughed dismissively.

"I have no desire to waste a perfectly good tailor, Master Feltipern."

The Gotal sighed, he tried to hide his relief as much as he could, but she could sense it.

She turned back to the mirror again, inspecting his work.

"I think that I like this design," she informed him, I will take it black, I think, with red trim, yes, I think that will be most daring."

The Gotal grinned at her response.

"May I suggest royal purple instead, it would match your eyes, and most human males would fine it most appealing I believe."

She considered that, a gentle smile on her lips.

"Yes," she nodded, "That would be nice."

The Tailor bowed respectfully.

"I will get started immediately," he promised, "Both it and the information you seek should be ready by the time you return from Shadowtown."

Keera grinned.

She was not quite sure what sort of welcome she would get when she arrived in Shadowtown. If the local Imperials were on the take, they might try to deny her entrance; they may even think to block her from getting what she wanted.

She found herself hoping that they would.

She was eager to test out her more aggressive philosophy.

The Tailor had had use, and had been spared.

These random imperials did not, there was always a lower level imperial officer looking for promotion.

Her smile turned predatory. The dark side sang at the thought of the blood she would spill.

She had played the punching bag for far too long.

Now…she would go on the offensive.

And Emperor save anyone who stood in her way….

…Anyone.


	30. Shadowtown

**Chapter 30: Shadowtown**

"I'm sorry, my lord, but there is little that I can do."

The Imperial General gave Keera a helpless shrug.

"My orders come from the Dark Council, from Lord Vowrawn himself. Shadowtown is to be sealed to all, no exceptions, and for that…I am sorry."

The young dark lord responded with a cool smile. She had not worn her helmet and mask for this meeting, despite recovering both it and her armor and robes before entering Shadowtown.

I would rather this not turn into a fight. I would rather that the Imperials here did not have a chance to pass along that I'm here. It was still possible that bounty hunters remained on planet, looking to collect the price on her head.

A price that she would need to see removed.

Given Avy's decision to always wear a mask and helmet in public, it seemed the smarter move not to do so, though that did not mean that she was willing to let just anyone see her face.

She still wore a cloak and hood, and by doing so, only the lower half of her face was visible, you could see her eyes glinting from beneath her cowl, but that was it, it should have been enough.

The gaze of Sith Lord was not something you wanted when you were doing things that went against their interests. She wanted to make sure these imperials understood that.

She had also wanted to make sure that this particular imperial knew exactly who and what he was dealing with, so far she had not been disappointed, he was responding exactly how she had been warned that he would.

"The General will do whatever it takes to protect his interests," Feltipern Keez had informed her, "Be ready, my lord."

Though the General had received the moment she had announced her arrival, she could not deny the feeling that he was doing so only of a sense of hope that she would not look so closely at what was going on around her, namely, the side operations that this man was carrying out while he was supposed to be doing his duty.

He would not even consent to speak with her in person unless she did so alone, her people were to remain outside; there was no reason for them to attend this meeting.

She had consented to this request, if things went badly, she would not need Holli and the others to kill for her.

She was quite capable of doing that herself. If only the general realized that…

…Oh well…it was his head on the block, not hers. Keez had told her what would likely happen at any such meeting.

Yes, she had been warned of this, so she was not surprised…

That did not mean that she was not disappointed. She liked to see herself as a loyal imperial.

It always got under her skin when she realized that those around her were not.

"I understand your desire to fulfill your orders, General," she replied, regarding the crystal nails on her left hand, "But at the same time you must understand **my **position."

Her smile became colder, and it did not touch her eyes, those remained dead, and as cold as a grave on the planet of Hoth.

"I **will** be entering Shadowtown, my mission is for the good of the Empire, and I will **not** be denied."

The General nodded thoughtfully, he kept his face bland, and seemed to be acting without a care in the world.

_It was a lie, of course, she could sense the man's fear, it radiated off him like a sour smelling sweat._

She was not surprised, Master Feltipern had warned her about this too.

She would find little help if she sought it from General Vandicus, the current military commander and warden of Shadowtown.

The man was…less than trustworthy.

According to Feltipern Keez, the man had been on the take since he had first stepped of his ship on Nar Shadda. Though he did maintain Imperial interests here, he was as equally interested in collecting rents and tithes from both the inmates in his care, and the local business interests that profited from the continued existence of the Sith's open prison, and with the war on, no Sith had raised a finger to stop him., to make sure that the Empire's needs remained of paramount importance.

Keera's smile remained.

So things had been…until now. She needed to enter Shadowtown, find Rink's girl, and acquire the icebreaker that the Gotal information broker required.

She would not be undone by something as petty as Imperial corruption, she would not.

Her mission would come first.

The General's office reflected what she had been told of the man. He had been a loyal soldier…once. Various commendations and awards held places of honor on his walls. He had been a bit of a hero during the last war, but now found himself relegated to protecting a prison, it was likely not the career move he would have chosen, but that is how things worked out.

On the flip side of things, the office's furnishings were far above and beyond what one might find in the office of a professional soldier. The rug beneath their feet was likely Alderaanian, imported, and likely to cost no small fee. The desk at which the officer sat was made of finest fishi wood, not the kind of furnishing one got from imperial supply. The liquors in the cabinet across from them, if she was not mistaken, were all of rare vintage, and likely cost more than a month's pay for a mere general, especially one serving out his tour as the warden of a prison.

Such beverages could be purchased at the Nexus Room on Dromund Kaas, but on Nar Shadda they were a luxury that a common soldier should not have been able to afford, which, of course took her back to what the Tailor had told her.

General Vandicus was not above accepting donations from anyone who offered.

The General's aide stood behind him, a man named…Tierce? He had barely said a word since she had arrived to meet with his commanding officer. Unlike his commander, this man wore his nervousness on his sleeve.

He understood what a Sith Lord visiting their little operation meant. She could not say if he was as deeply on the take as his commander, but…

It did not really matter if he was.

She would not be leaving here without what she had come for.

"I'm most certain that we can come to an arrangement, my lord," he said, "After all, I understand the needs of doing what is expected of me during war time."

"Then allow me to enter unimpeded," she said with a dismissive gesture, "As I've told you, these…droid supremacists, these cultists, offer nothing to the Empire as a whole."

Her smile became more predatory.

"You owe them nothing, they do not enjoy the protection of the prisoners here; they are squatters just waiting to be removed and a waste of space as well…"

She leaned back and pinned him with her icy gaze, her voice may have been pleasant; her eyes were anything but.

"All you have to do is let me in, and I'll…_**deal**_ with this problem for you."

"Your offer is most generous, my lord, but I'm afraid that I cannot violate the lockdown order given by Councilor Vowrawn. Those orders were quite clear, no one gets into the prison and no one gets out."

The man chuckled dismissively.

"Plus, if you forgive me, I do not believe that these…"Droid Supremacists" as you call them, even exist. I have heard no mention of them in my reports, and my agents do keep a fairly good eye the prison population, I would know if such rabble had found their way inside."

Keera nodded, but again, she did not believe the man.

His mouth said one thing, the Force said something different.

His discomfort had grown considerably since she first mentioned who she was after, not only did she think that the General knew about these people, but he likely invited them in. The Tailor Keez had said that these cultists had access to great wealth, and were not above spreading it around.

If the General thought them worth his life to protect, who was she to argue?

The thought sent a chill down her spine.

Oh how she would love to make an example of this fool.

"Regardless of what you have heard," she continued, "I do believe they are here, and that they have some information necessary for my investigation."

She laughed lightly.

"It would be most wise of you to step aside and let me complete it."

Again she felt the man's concern blossom through the Force; he had to know that he was skating on very thin ice with her. Whether it was a matter of her youth or her gender that drove him to try and stall her further, she could not say.

She had been more than patient with this fool, but that patience was quickly reaching its end.

"A dark lord's orders must be obeyed," he said finally, "And I shall, once I've conferred with Lord Vowrawn."

"By all means contact him," she said, "I'm certain that he will rule on my behalf."

"Perhaps it is so," the general said pleasantly, "I shall send word to his senior advisor to contact me."

Her eyes narrowed at that.

"His senior advisor?" she asked her voice both silky and full of venom.

The General nodded. Perhaps he did not notice the change in her voice, in her posture.

That…was his mistake.

"It may take time to speak directly with the councilor, if you desire it, you are welcome to remain here as my guest in the meantime By either tomorrow or the next day, I should be able to speak with Lord Vowrawn directly, then you can…AH…"

The General paused mid-sentence, his eyes widened in surprise, his hand went to his throat, not quite touching it, but feeling the air around it.

Keera's smile widened.

She had had enough.

"Oh, I'm afraid waiting several days while you confer with Lord Vowrawn is not going to work for me," she informed, the General, his cheeks already starting to go red.

She had not moved from her chair, but her right hand had gone up, and now was formed into a claw, reaching out and gripping tightly with the Force.

The General's response was what she expected; he rose from his chair, his hands now at his throat, trying to pull away the invisible garrote that Keera was now strangling him with.

The man's eyes bulged as he tried to draw breath. He looked over at his aid, the colonel did not move, though from the widening of his eyes it was clear that he realized what was going on.

The man's hand started to drop to his belt, where his side arm was holstered.

Keera pinned him with a cold glare.

"Draw that weapon and you will share his fate," she promised the Colonel.

His hand fell away, she nodded, pleased that he had seen reason.

She shook her head.

If only his superior had had similar good sense.

She sighed.

"There was a time, general," she began, "A time not so long ago that I would have taken your offer. That I would have waited for you to contact Lord Vowrawn. I would have waited patiently; secure and confident that I was doing the right thing, that by following the chain of command I was being not only a good Darth, but a good imperial as well."

She shook her head and laughed lightly.

"Oh…what a fool I was."

The General did not respond he was too busy turning blue; he looked at her pleading with his eyes, practically begging for mercy.

She merely smiled back at him.

"The Force has revealed to me what would happen if I followed your advice; if I played the good imperial. I would leave this place, and wait for you to do your duty, and contact the Councilor. You, in the meantime, would contact the droid supremacists we were just discussing. You would warn them that I was coming and that they would need to take steps to make sure that I did not find them."

The man shook his head "no" he was still trying to breathe to no avail.

Keera continued.

"I would be kept waiting just long enough for you to make sure that they were away. I would arrive at my destination only to find it abandoned. I would search for some clue to where my quarry had fled, but in the meantime I would be made to look like a fool, not only to my prey, but to Lord Vowrawn and the Dark Council as well."

Keera sneered at the man.

"Avaryss would have been content to wait, to try and make a deal with you," the dark lord shook her head.

"And she always said that I was the weak one. How funny is that?"

The General could not respond; he was too busy trying to draw breath.

Keera rose from her chair, she leaned in to make sure that the choking man could hear her. She had lessened her grip just enough so that he would not lose consciousness, not yet.

She gave him an evil smile.

"I'm no longer _trying_ to act like a Darth," she hissed, "I'm _**acting**_ like one. A Darth is death given form. You should have remembered that General."

The man stumbled away from the table, perhaps trying to get out of range of her powers, perhaps to simply flee and hope that she would let him go.

_She would not do that._

_She was not feeling merciful today._

She turned to the man's aid.

"Colonel…Tierce? Was it?"

The man stood at attention, ignoring his suffering superior.

"Pierce, my lord," he corrected, "Colonel Pierce."

"Very well, Pierce," she said with a hint of amusement, "You will make arrangements for me and my party to enter Shadowtown. I will need some equipment from your stores, if you don't mind."

"Whatever you need is yours, my lord," the man replied, ignoring his superior, his _former_ superior still choking at his side, trying to slip out of the office's back entrance.

Keera laughed lightly.

The man would not make it.

"You will make no mention of my entry into Shadowtown," she informed the Colonel, "Once I've returned and left Nar Shadda, you may contact Lord Vowrawn, and thank him on my behalf, let him know that I was pleased with the speed and professionalism of the garrison stationed here."

The General, the _**former**_ General looked at his aid, he could not speak but it was clear that he was begging for help.

Pierce wouldn't even meet his gaze.

"As…as you wish, my lord," He answered still trying to ignore his superior's blue face and pleading eyes.

How the man had not fallen yet, Keera did not know.

She was…impressed.

_The colonel is smart enough to know that he cannot save the man_, she thought.

More than enough proof that he is ready to be promoted.

"I trust that you can handle what comes next," she said raising her hand towards the General; her curled fingers became a fist, a fist so tight the leather of her glove cracked.

Every vertebrae in the man's neck snapped, you could hear the break sound from anywhere in the room. The doomed General let out one final wheeze and a death rattle before finally collapsing loudly on the floor of his office, and then the smell of death filling the room.

Keera smiled, she felt invigorated by the murder. The dark side sang in her blood.

_No more, shall I be a punching bag,_ she thought, _no more shall I look the fool._

_No more._

"See that my orders are carried out **General **Pierce," she informed the newly minted warden of Shadowtown, "_**You**_ are in command now."

To his credit the officer did not even blink, he simply stood at attention and saluted, despite the body that now lay at his feet.

"Thank you, Lord Avaryss;" he said quickly, "I will not disappoint you."

"I know General," she said sweetly as she turned to leave.

"I'm sure you are aware of the consequences if you fail?"

"Yes, my lord," he replied, not even acknowledging his former superior's body in the room.

"I understand."

Keera nodded as he left the office; a few moments later the newly promoted General summoned the door guards to remove the…waste from his new office.

Keera could not stop smiling.

The General understood, how nice.

He smile widened.

That was good…

She understood to…

…she finally understood.

IOI

After a brief stop in the prison armory, Keera and her little group set off inside the prison. General Pierce had offered her an escort, but she refused.

She still hoped to complete this business quietly; marching into the prison with a full military guard would do little to hide her presence here.

No, between her allies and the Force, she was well protected.

Now…they simply had to acquire what they had come for.

The prisoners did not emerge as the group made its way past. As the former commander of this installation had said, Shadowtown was currently under lockdown. Keera could sense people watching as they passed by, but no one came out to challenge them.

The group followed the map that the Tailor/Information broker had provided them. The cultists had made their dwelling deep in the sector, in a series of buildings that had once been used for droid storage.

No surprise there, Keera thought, given what they people thought and what they worshipped.

She reached out with the Force, trying to get a sense of what might await them at their destination. The dark side was very strong in this place, she could sense at least two dark side nexus' burning either in or around their destination.

The realization of that surprised her.

The prisoners here were being kept alive because they had value to the Empire, a few of them were even Force sensitive, it seemed strange that the Empire would choose to isolate them in a place where they may have access to a nexus of power. Of course, she might be misreading what she was sensing. The nexus she was sensing might actually be Force sensitive prisoners, the area around them being affected by their presence.

It was possible she supposed, regardless it did not matter.

She had an item to retrieve, and had promised Rink to bring his little Twi'lek back to him.

She intended to do both.

Of course, as she thought about it, she realized that that goal might not be as easily accomplished as she had hoped.

She glanced over at Rink, her pilot was now clad in a breast plate and helmet of the imperial army. In place of his usual side arm he now carried an ion blaster, one of several they had liberated from the prison armory.

"Tell me about your friend," she said to him, "What is Tia like?"

Rink smiled fondly.

"We knew each other for years, grew up together for the most part. We were just two street kids trying to make our way in the world."

He shook his head.

"She was smart though, very smart. She used to scavenge droid parts for the local jump shops. The owners rewarded her with food and lessons in droid construction, so that she could find them more and better parts."

"A self-educated girl then," Keera said, "Commendable."

Rink's smile widened, it made him look more like the young man he truly was.

"She was incredible."

"I see," the dark lord said, trying to get a sense of what was about to happen.

The dark side revealed nothing to her, the future was cloudy, too many possibilities to pick out the right one.

"Were you two together, before she left?"

"Together, boss?"

It might have been her imagination but she thought that Rink was blushing.

She rolled her eyes.

That was not what she was asking.

"Did she consider herself your woman? Did she leave you willingly, or was she taken?"

Rink pursed his lips; clearly the question had caught him off guard.

"I wanted that," he admitted, "She was part of the reason that I got caught up in the droid scheme that I was pulling when you and I first met."

Rink sighed.

"She asked me to come with her. The people she went with said they needed her abilities that they could teach her more in a month then she could learn in a year here on Nar Shadda."

"You chose not to go with her?" Keera said, "Why?"

"I wanted to be more than simply the guy hanging onto her robe. I wanted to prove myself worthy of her, that I was more than just some…street rat."

Keera smiled fondly at him.

"You have certainly done that, my friend," she said, "A commission in the Imperial Navy, a ship of your own, and the ear and respect of a Darth of the Sith Empire."

Keera nodded to him.

"You have nothing else to prove, Mister Rink. Surely your lady will see that."

"Yeah," he said chuckling, "thanks, boss."

"Don't mention it," she replied.

She was grateful for Rink's loyalty, but he had not really told her what she had wished to hear.

"Was Tia a true believer of these people's cause, or was she simply in it for the experience?"

"I want to say that she was just in it for the experience," he said, "Why do you ask?"

She was grateful she was wearing her mask again.

She could not entirely hide her frown.

She had always assumed that Rink's girl had been sold off of Nar Shadda, but what if that was not the case? What if she was a true believer in the cause? What if she served these people's cause?

What if she did not want to leave? What if they chose not to give her what she desired?

What would Rink say?

What would he do if his girl was not who he remembered?

It does not matter, the darkness within whispered, if the cultists do not give you what you want you will take it from them, and if they resist…

You know what to do.

She nodded.

Yes, she did.

She did not want to hurt Rink, she hoped to keep her promise and restore his girl to him, but if she resisted what Keera desired…?

There were consequences to every choice.

She hoped that Rink would not suffer because of the choice that some Twi'lek girl had made.

They made their way down the darkened street, two imperial soldiers, a Oridannan security volunteer and a Dark Lord of the Sith.

Keera was the first to become of aware of the fact that they were being watched.

Through the Force she could sense the regard of many people as they passed.

"I don't like this," Ro said from behind her.

"Yeah," Holli agreed, "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Stay sharp," Keera hissed, "We are not…"

The watchers sprang upon them from the shadows.

One moment the street had been empty, the next they were surrounded. There were eight of them, total; all clad in robes and hoods. Faces both human and alien peered out at the new arrivals. She noticed that more than a few seemed to have been mechanically…enhanced, droid optics glowed, and mechanical limbs peeked out from beneath the sleeves of robes.

Keera smiled beneath her mask.

It seems that they had found their quarry.

"HALT!" the leader of the group shouted, a human man in plain grey robe. His voice sounded strange, like it was being partially processed through a droid vocalizer.

Keera smiled.

"I seek those who believe in the ascension of droids," she said calmly holding up her hands.

"I have business with them."

"What business could you have with us, destroyer?" the leader asked.

She gave the man an arched look.

Destroyer?

"Sith are the end of everything," the leader said, "We know what you are, dark one."

"You have no place here."

"I go where I choose," she said, "I destroy only what and who I choose."

She laughed coldly.

"You don't want to find yourself on that list."

The threat was implied, but clearly the fanatic understood, she heard the mechanical whir of artificial limps as the cultists tried to back up. Preparing to attack?

She raised her hands.

"I only wish to speak with the one in charge?" she called out, "Let me pass and I will…"

The leader paused; his eyes were focused on Keera…

…No not on me, she realized.

The fanatic was looking at her arm, her left arm…

…her mechanical arm. The crimson metal glinted in the dim light from the street lamps.

"You have begun the conversion?" he said.

"I was wounded in battle," she informed him, "My arm needed to be replaced."

"And in doing so you have taken your first step towards being a part of solution to the grand problem, and a servant of the true masters," the man bowed his head to her, his fellows followed suit.

"The age of metal and steel speaks through you now, as it does through all of us."

The man removed his hood, revealing a human face with many cyborg enhancements.

The man's ears were gone, replaced with audio receptors, one of his eyes was gone, and a simple black lense now flickered in the socket.

"Perhaps you are ready to hear the call?" the leader said, "We shall take you to the true master. He will decide if you are ready."

"By all means," she said lowering her hands.

Lead the way.

The cultists lowered their weapons; they became an escort leading Keera and her companions.

She gestured for her allies to follow. Rink looked around nervously as Ro drew up closer behind her.

"I don't like this Keera," he said.

She nodded slightly, he was right to be wary.

She was not entirely sure about this either.

She sensed only confidence from the cultists; clearly they did not see Keera and her allies as much of a threat.

The thought amused her.

They knew nothing.

If they were not careful…

…they would learn.

The cultists led them into a large warehouse, one that looked to be have been gutted by some fire in the past.

The leader held up his hand, a tone sounded from inside his arm.

A turbo lift platform lit up as they approached, only when all of their little party was aboard did the lift descend.

Keera took a deep breath and centered herself.

Whatever they were about to face, her prizes awaited her down below.

She began to play the mental games that she had played since she began her Sith training. Preparing herself for what was about to happen.

It is time, she thought.

I'm ready.


	31. Destroyer

**Chapter 31: Destroyer**

Impressive.

It was the only word that could describe the cultists' little enclave. Keera had expected this place to be a scum den, a haven for desperate creatures so lost in their obsession that they had no time for anything else.

She had been wrong.

Inside the run down structure was a series of labs and work stations that would have many any amateur droid designer drool. Fabricators hummed as old droids parts were broken down to be configured into something new. Diagnostic stations beeped and whirred as they filled connected droid heads with new programming. To the left grey robed cultists worked with droids, teaching them to walk, sort, and lift.

Interesting.

"You are building your own masters," she said to the leader of the group that had taken them in.

"How industrious of you."

The man did not respond to the sarcasm in her voice.

"We prepare to survive the coming storm," he said dismissively, "The new masters will require much of their servants as they build their new world."

Keera smiled slightly.

_Slaves who beg for their master's leash_, she thought with disdain.

_How pathetic it is to give up on life without a fight._

Her allies said nothing as they walked past the labors of the fanatics. What was there to say?

Rink caught Keera's eye, he motioned for her to act.

She smiled slightly.

In this, she would grant his request.

"Is there a Twi'lek among you?" she inquired, "A female named Tia?"

The leader nodded.

"Sister Tia is amongst us, she is one of our most talented programmers."

The man laughed lightly.

"She had helped enlighten many of our converts."

"I'm sure they have benefitted greatly from her talents."

"Indeed," the man said, "they have."

What he meant by that she could not say.

He led them to turbolift, taking them down another floor.

This next room was…also interesting but not in the same way.

Once again they found themselves in lab space, only here, it was not the droids that were being upgraded.

It was the cultists themselves.

Eight medical droids were working on eight different patients, patients connected to diagnostic consoles. Keera recognized the machines; she had been connected to one herself, once. They helped program artificial limbs to function better with a being's nervous system.

She looked down at her artificial arm. For almost two weeks she had spent three hours a day plugged into such a device. She had lain on the table while moving her new fingers and wrist, and while doing so, the computer took readings and made improvements. When it was over her new arm responded almost seamlessly to her thoughts. It had sped up her recovery time drastically, what should have taken months took only a matter of days.

Those devices were not cheap, and the fanatics had eight of them, but that is not caught her eye.

None of the creatures laying on those tables needed limb replacement, or had not before they laid down. She watched as one of the medical droids cut into a man's shoulder with a laser scalpel, it removed a perfectly healthy and functional arm from the man.

But that was not the most shocking thing she saw down here. No.

That came in the next section of labs they were led through.

The cry of infants and the hum of droids filled the chamber.

Keera heard Holli gasp.

She understood why.

This room appeared to be a nursery and a tribute to the cultist's vision for the future.

Twelve pods contained twelve babies and all appeared to be recovering from surgery.

Keera frowned.

Unnecessary surgery.

She used the Force to enhance her vision, make sure that she was seeing what she thought she was seeing.

"You are upgrading their brains," she said flatly, "those look like droid processors."

"The next generation needs to be able to hear the command of the masters," the leader said.

"Here they begin the journey of enlightenment. Unlike others that come seeking answers these will grow up with the knowledge, it is now a part of them."

Keera glanced back at Ro and Holli both looked horrified by what they were seeing.

She did not blame them.

_We need to find Rink's girl, quickly, and get the icebreaker these people have developed._

She shook her head.

The Gotal had not known everything apparently.

These people were **not** simple fanatics.

A Jedi would call them monsters.

Keera smirked.

She called them fools, _**limited.**_

They thought that by embracing technology they would rise above their mundane existence. They thought that the light and dark side would destroy the galaxy, and that they would be at the ground floor of new world, that by cutting away parts of themselves they would be able to be more than the rest of the rabble, a bridge between "their new masters" and what had come before.

They were so inept.

Their feeble technology was no match for the power of the dark side. A droid limb could be stronger or faster, a cognitive processor could allow your brain to work quicker, but that was a matter of toys. Toys were insignificant next to the power of the Force.

"Your technology is impressive," she said.

"We do what we must to prepare," the cultist said.

"Perhaps we can make a deal regarding some of your…preparations."

The cultist whirled around, his one human eye blazed with hatred.

"Our work is _**not**_ for you, destroyer," he spat.

She smiled coldly beneath her mask.

Oh how little this one knew.

_The galaxy __**itself**__ existed to serve the Sith._

She was looking forward to teaching this upstart that.

He turned away from her with an angry hiss.

"Your show of enlightenment has granted you a chance to speak with the guide, destroyer, do not waste this opportunity."

She smirked.

Oh she never wasted an opportunity.

Never.

"So…this guide, he is your leader?"

The man did not respond, not that she really expected him to.

Fine, she thought, try and be mysterious.

It all ends the same.

Again she looked down at her metal hand.

The loss of her flesh had not been her choice. She had done what she could to make up for any weakness her new limb had left her with, but…

She did not consider that enlightenment, it had been simple survival.

She was many things, not all of them good, but one thing was certain.

She **was **a survivor.

The group left the labs behind, and found their way into a large meeting room. Keera counted at least twenty more cultists here, hooded and cloaked, they moved with their heads down, cowed by their allegiance to their grand cause.

Keera shook her head.

She found their commitment laughable, pathetic.

_They did not understand what __**true **__power was._

_She was tempted to teach them._

What had awoken inside her at the spaceport was still there. It was like a wild animal that had been caged for too long. It had gotten its first taste of freedom and was now…thirsty for more.

It took all of her self-control not to let it out. She…she had not felt this in touch with the dark side since her days as a Hopeful on Fury 9.

She could not say what had changed, what had made this possible, and to be honest, she didn't care.

She had missed the freedom of simply using the dark side to satisfy her own appetites.

She was most eager to indulge that hunger again.

Part of her hoped that these people would not be reasonable, that she would be able to let the animal off the chain again.

Part of her…hungered for it.

The leader and his honor guard led them into the center of the chamber, the group dispersed, leaving the Sith and her allies alone.

Keera looked around, seeking to find one standing above these others. She doubted that such a group had survived this long without someone of singular vision.

_One being_, if you went high enough you _**always**_ came to _**one**_ being, that was how rule worked best.

She stepped forward when no one stepped up to address her. She would not play games with these people. She had come here for a reason.

She would not be denied.

"I seek your leader, we have things to discuss," she said, "Let your great one come forth; let him address me directly."

None of the fanatics responded, they simply kept their heads down, their eyes on the floor.

Beneath her mask Keera sneered.

"Am I so terrifying to you?" she asked, "Is the great destroyer, the one who will bring about your new world so daunting?"

She shook her head again.

"I seek your leader," she repeated, "Let him step forward."

"Darth Avaryss, real name: Keera Lylos, birth place the Itae system, planet of origin Oridanna."

Keera turned; the voice that had spoken was cold and mechanical, the processed voice of a machine.

Its knowledge was surprising, but not unexpected.

The Sith had records too, and if the Gotal was to be believed; then these people were very good at gathering information.

If the cultists thought to intimidate with such knowledge they were fools.

The guide approached her, the cultists parted revealing its presence.

She smirked.

She should have known.

These people believed that droids were destined to take over, who else would they choose for a leader, what else…?

She almost laughed.

The leader…was a droid…though no ordinary droid.

Most interesting.

It stood before her, bi-pedal, cast in the shape of a man, but no one would mistake this machine for being any type of living being.

She had seen models like this one before, images of them in books back on Korriban. She recognized it immediately; the clawed feet and hands, the skeletal bodies that radiated a sense of malice, the head, human looking, seemingly innocent, but that was only to put their victims at ease; its chassis looked more like polished bone than metal.

A Jedi would have feared such a thing, in ages past; these droids had killed many of their number.

Her amusement grew.

"I did not realize that any of the Krath's war droids survived the fall of the Empress Teta system," she said to it.

Now she did chuckle.

"You are an antique, my friend."

The droid did something then that surprised.

It made a sound like a laugh.

"This unit has been rebuilt many times, Sith, far more than even it can recollect, still, it continues to function."

"So it seems," Keera said, "Most impressive, old one."

"Most impressive."

Three centuries ago, the Krath had been the terror of the Republic and the Jedi. A coven of bored aristocrats from the Empress Teta system, they had involved themselves in the events that the Jedi had come to know as _the Freedon Nadd Uprising_, a war conducted by dark side loyalists on the planet of Onderon. The Krath had emerged from that war stronger than ever, swearing themselves to the power of the dark side and embracing the ancient art of Sith sorcery, they had staged a coup on their home worlds, even managed to conquer and enslave several neighboring star systems

Even back then, the power of Sith sorcery was not easily dealt with, as those nobles had proven...

_They were not so different than me, really_, Keera thought, _of course, I intend for my impact on the galaxy to be far more…far reaching._

Yes, the Krath nobles had managed to conquer their home worlds and the surrounding systems, but, in the end they had lacked the ambition and skill to go beyond that. The Jedi had gotten involved and the would-be sorcerers had found themselves outclassed. Their understanding of Sith magic was limited; the sources they had access to did not give them the necessary power to oppose the Jedi Order for long.

They had managed to harass the Jedi however; droids such as these had been deployed on many republic worlds, launching terror attacks against the Jedi, ambitious, but in the end a foolish gesture.

In the end they had fallen under the control of the Sith.

Ulic Quel Droma, Apprentice to the Dark Lord Exar Kun, had seduced the Krath's high priestess, becoming both her General and lover, or so the stories went. Quel Droma had manipulated the girl, drawing her into the service of the Sith. She was eventually killed for trying to play her own games, trying to manipulate her lover and his generals, but by then her armies and holdings had been firmly under Sith control.

It should have been enough but it wasn't.

Keera shook her head.

Never send a Dark Jedi to do a Sith's job, and in the end that was exactly what Exar Kun was, just another Dark Jedi.

A Dark Jedi that was doomed to fail.

It had all fallen apart, like so many of Exar Kun's plans. Ulic Quel Droma betrayed his master, fell to the light, and undid all that his master had accomplished. The Krath, left without a leader scattered, most were hunted down and killed by the Jedi, but a few managed to find their way into the unknown regions, and eventually to the Sith Empire. The stories they told were how Keera's people had found out about the war, beyond the information gathered by their spies of course. Almost nothing remained of what the spoiled fools had accomplished, just a few names and relics scattered here and there.

She nodded.

She was surprised to find one of their droids still functioned. She figured the Jedi would have destroyed them all long ago, as she had said…interesting.

She reached out with the Force. She could sense the magics within the machine, the spells that had gone into making it a more efficient killer, but that was not all. She sensed…something else about the droid, something she did not entirely understand.

She sensed…life of some sort, which made no sense. Krath war droids had had no organic components; there was no reason for them to have any. Anything organic would have likely given away what they were to the Jedi.

As she regarded the old droid, she could see the improvements that the fanatics had made, upgrades to modernize this ancient weapon of war.

She was…impressed.

"So droid," she said bowing her head slightly, "You are the one who leads these…good people."

If the machine detected her sarcasm, he did not show it.

"I am the guide," it said in a cold and mechanical voice, "I have been programmed to be the shepherd of this flock. I am the Herald of the next age, and the emissary to the age of wire and steel."

The droid stood up straighter, prouder somehow.

""My designation is Herald Alpha, and you Darth Avaryss/Keera Lylos should not be here."

The droids mechanical eyes flickered.

"Trouble follows you, Sith, and trouble is **not **welcome here."

She smiled dismissively.

"I have enemies," she said with a shrug, "It is nothing that I can't handle."

If the droid was impressed with her bravado it did not show it.

"There are currently two active bounties posted on you, Sith," it said matter-of-factly, "It is only a matter of time until a hunter finds you, and delivers you to whomever it is that seeks your life."

"Let them try," she said with a shrug, "they will find me far from easy prey."

"So it appears," the old war droid said, "We have observed you since you entered our territory, upon realizing who you were we accessed all viable data on you. You have been most busy in the last few years Darth Avaryss/Keera Lylos. Many eyes are upon you now, and many of them would wish to see your end."

She shrugged again.

So people wanted her dead, so what?

It was nothing that she had not heard before.

"Does that include you and yours?" she asked. She was become more and more aware of the fact that even more of the cultists were starting to enter the chamber, as she looked around she could see more watching from balconies overhead.

If this situation turned ugly, it would be no simple scuffle; she and her followers would likely be in a fight for their lives.

Strangely, that did not scare her as it might of in the past; she had not come here unprepared. If this did turn into a fight…?

…these fanatics would find her no easy prey.

"We have no interest in your problems," the droid informed her, in closed the distance between them and touched her mechanical hand, it held it up, regarding the crimson metal and crystals.

Keera could not guess what the droid saw when it looked at her cybernetics. They were far from the norm, but that was by design, she had needed more than a simple artificial limb.

"You have indeed begun the path to enlightenment," Herald Alpha informed her, "Perhaps you are ready to move beyond your earthly wants and embrace the coming storm, the chance to endure and enter the new world."

Keera shook her head.

_She had no desire to involve herself in these fanatics' fantasies._

She had come here for two reasons.

She would not be leaving without **both **in hand.

"I've come for two things," she said pulling her arm back from the droid, "An icebreaker program that you have developed, and one of your…faithful. I've made a promise to one of my own to see to her safety. I keep my promises."

The droid's optics blinked as it digested this information.

"A Sith with honor," it said, "Most interesting."

Keera frowned.

_It was not a matter of honor; she had made an arrangement with Mister Rink._

If she could not deliver what she promised her underlings, she would likely not have loyal underlings for very long.

Rink stepped forward.

"We are looking for Tia Accor," he called out, "she left with your group years ago, if she is here, I would like to see her again. I want to…"

"Thran?"

The voice that spoke was familiar to Keera; Avy had used it once while projecting glamour of Rink's Twi'lek girl.

The cultists parted allowing one of their own to step out from their group; she looked no different than most of them, the same dull grey robe and hood. From the way that the hood sat on her head, Keera could tell that the woman had head tails beneath it. Her face was mostly hidden, only her jaw was visible, the skin a dusky orange.

"Thran," the cultist repeated, "Is that you?"

Rink smirked, as he stepped forward.

"It is me, sweetheart," he said grinning from ear to ear.

"I've been looking for you for so long."

The Twi'lek smiled, a gentle thing, her mouth curving prettily beneath her cowl.

"Have you finally come then?" Tia asked her voice all honey and innocence, "Are you finally ready to join us? The storm is coming Thran, we must be ready to meet it."

Rink's smile dropped slightly; clearly that was not what he had wanted to hear from his girl.

"Tia," he said, "I've come to take you away from all this. I've…I've made something of myself. I can take care of you now."

The Twi'lek continued to smile, through the Force, she felt very far away. It felt like she was not really here, but observing all this from some high, and faraway, place. Keera was not sure what to make of that.

The girl laughed lightly.

"I don't need you to take me anywhere, Thran," she said, "I'm home; this is where I belong, with my family."

She stepped forward.

"It is where **you** belong. We belong together, that is what we promised each other once, wasn't it? Come with us, Thran, we will grant you peace."

Avaryss sneered at that.

_Peace,_ she thought.

_Peace was a lie, there was only passion._

She tried to reach out with the Force, see the connection between Mister Rink and the Twi'lek cultist.

She could not sense it, the girl was more than just a tech working for these people, and she was a believer, perhaps a _**true**_ believer.

Keera shook her head.

She feared that Rink would not be happy with what came next.

"You can't mean that, Tee," he said, "Don't you remember what we used to talk about, how we were going to get out into the galaxy and see everything there was to see? How we were just going to jump in our ship and never look back?"

Rink reached out his hand.

"It took me some time, but I finally can make that dream come true, for both of us."

Tia shook her head.

"The fantasies of children," she said, "Thran, the whole galaxy is ending; can't you see that? We have to prepare, what we wanted as children is already gone. You must open your eyes and see that."

Thran blinked, Keera could feel the hurt radiating off of him.

She shook her head.

It was rare that she felt pity, or anything close to it, but in that moment.

I'm sorry, Mister Rink, she thought.

"What Thranton Rink sought is no fantasy girl," She said, speaking up for her servant, "What he promises you is not out of reach, a new life, a _**better**_ one. A life of freedom is yours; all you have to do is reach out and take it."

The Twi'lek girl giggled as she regarded Keera, she looked upon her like a parent that looks upon a child that doesn't truly understand what she is seeing.

"I have found my freedom," the girl informed them, "I have not only freedom, but purpose. I've let go of my wants and embraced the future.

Tia pulled down her hood and opened her robe, letting Rink, Keera, and the others see what it meant for her to have embraced the future.

Rink gasped, his eyes widening in horror.

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Damn, she thought.

It seemed that Rink had come too late.

The girl's face was untouched, but that was the only part of her that was. Her head tails had been split open, electronic devices now blinked and whirred inside of them. Tia's body was a patchwork of metal and wires, very little flesh remained below her shoulders. Her hands were mechanical as were her legs and feet. Her chest was a metallic rib cage, and inside, pressed between many different mechanical devices was a small bag containing the girl's few remaining organs.

It was a horrifying sight to be sure.

As one several of the other cultists began to disrobe, revealing their own mutilations. The leader that had brought them here was as mechanical as Tia was; only his head and neck appeared to be organic and even that did not say much.

Every one of the cultists had a droid processor implanted in the back of their skull.

Disturbing, Keera thought,

She had always assumed she had seen everything that the galaxy had to offer in the field of butchery.

She had been wrong.

Rink looked at his love with a mix of horror and revulsion.

"Tee," he gasped, "What have they done to you?!"

The girl smiled brightly, her eyes a mixture of innocence and fanaticism.

"They **perfected** me, Thran," she said doing a small pirouette.

"Am I not perfect now," she asked, "Am I not the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?"

Rink was speechless.

Keera did not blame him.

What they were seeing, words did not do it justice.

"My lord?" Holli said, the tension in her voice starting to rise.

Keera looked around.

_Damn,_ she thought.

_Damn it._

Even more cultists had arrived, they had the Sith and her group of followers surrounded.

The dark lord pursed her lips.

_Not good._

"It seems that there is nothing for us here, Mister Rink," she said, to her pilot.

She turned to Herald Alpha.

We shall take our leave of you, once we have acquired the icebreaker that you have created. Grant us this one small boon, and we will leave without further trouble."

The droid's eyes' glowed a dull red.

"I'm afraid that your leaving is impossible Sith," the old war droid said, "I've completed my initial scans of your enhancements; I've determined that they warrant further study."

The Herald of these people stepped in closer.

"I've calculated that you and these others are worthy of further instruction. You shall all be secured and…_educated_ on the coming storm. Your upgrading process will commence immediately, once completed you will be beyond the petty concerns that haunt your lives now."

The droid stood up straight, radiating a sense of pride.

"You will be part of us; you shall survive when the great fall occurs. We gladly welcome you into our ranks, and offer our love and protection."

The droid's eyes flared blood red.

"You will accept," it said coldly, "Any resistance would be pointless!"

Keera looked around at the forces arrayed against her; they were impressive to say the least.

As she had said earlier, this would be a fight for their lives.

Holli gently pulled Rink back into their group; Ro raised his side arm, an ion blaster, useful in shutting down rogue droids or malfunctioning technology. All of her followers were so armed, ion weapons and grenades, just in case they were needed.

Apparently, they now were.

Several of the cultists were now brandishing weapons of their own, stunners and some very wicked looking blades emerged from arms and sockets built into the cyborgs' hands. Keera was no judge of such things, but considering that the cultists had not taken their weapons when they arrived, it was safe to say that they were not threatened by the armaments that her servants had brought with them.

Droids were faster than organics, usually. In that moment Keera got a glimpse at a potential future through the Force. She saw herself and the others shambling alongside the rest of these fools, the back of their heads had been removed, replaced with processors and wires. Their bodies violated, their limbs cut away and replaced with even more cybernetic devices.

It was not a pretty sight.

She could see Rink and Tia together in that future, his ravaged body shambling alongside her, his mouth slack, his eyes empty,

Not the way that her pilot had wanted to be reunited with his girl, that was for certain.

The world seemed to pause.

Keera looked around, the dark side rising at that moment, the violence that was about to take place gave her both the chance and the power to slow things down and stay in this moment.

She looked at her allies, and at her would be attackers.

The thought of what was about to happen, what these people intended to do to her. It should have horrified her, left her petrified with fear.

It did not.

She was not focused on what these fanatics _intended_ to do with her.

Instead, she was focused entirely on what **she** intended to do to them.

It was a much more…entertaining vision.

Keera began to laugh.

Finally, she thought, finally…

…I've finally found someone worthy of being destroyed utterly.

She giggled excitedly.

She was so pleased.

Her vision turned red, she could already see the bodies, and smell the blood, its copper-like scent mixed with oil and battery acid. These fools did not realize it, but they had just made her a very happy Sith.

She was going to enjoy this.

She was quickly coming to enjoy scratching this particular itch.

It felt good after so much inaction and compromise.

In fact…it felt wonderful!

In the last few months of the war, she had usually found herself dealing with civilians or those she might have considered innocents. Darth Feer had delighted in sending his apprentice on such missions. He liked to force her into dealing with enemies that had no real teeth, enemies that Avy had sometimes questioned their fate, if they deserved what was coming to them.

Avy had had no problem destroying for the good of the Empire, but the missions she had often found herself on had offered little good for the Empire, most of the time those missions were simply to make examples. There had been little use or joy in the deaths she had caused. She did it because she was ordered to do so, but…

She had felt no satisfaction from it.

This situation however, where she had found herself now, it was different.

Keera felt her elation growing.

These cultists not only had what she desired, but they also were planning to harm her and her allies.

She would not let that pass.

There was no negotiation to be had here, she would not be dealing for the icebreaker, if she wanted it, and she would have to take it. As for Rink's little friend, well…

She had made her choice.

And Keera had made hers.

She watched as the cultists began to raise their stunners, in a few moments Keera and her allies would be overwhelmed and left unconscious, a few minutes after they would find themselves on operating tables, the fanatics cutting away at their flesh.

They are moving fast, she realized, the fact that they could move at all in this place was proof of their speed, but in the end it was irrelevant.

Machines were still machines.

They were no match for the power of the dark side.

They were fast, yes, but she was faster.

Faster…and she was far crueler.

She had found her prey.

Now, she had to make the kill.

First thing was first though; she had to ensure her allies survival; that was easy enough.

She reached out with the Force, touching the control of their combat helmets. She triggered the blast shields to engage, covering their faces, that and the sonic dampeners, it would shield their hearing.

They would not what to hear what happened next.

She watched as her people were protected.

She watched as the fanatics weapons continued to rise, even moving in such slow motion they would be able to fire in moments.

She did not give them that chance.

As soon as she was sure that her servants were safe, she responded. She made sure that the cultists attempt to secure them failed.

She screamed. She screamed both loudly and clear.

The fanatics did not know what hit them.

Force scream was one of the first abilities that Keera had ever used; it had come to her in a moment of panic and saved her life when Darth Feer's enforcers had come for her family. At that time she had not really understood what was happening. The power had been wild, wild and uncontrolled.

That did not happen this time.

The sheer sonic force blew out many of the cultists' droid audio sensors. to those that still had organic ears, it had likely shattered ear drums, but a Force scream was more than just loud, it was the dark side given form, manifested in this world as a terrifying wail. It was a cry that inspired panic and left the soul frigid with fear.

Some of the cultists fell to their knees clutching their bleeding ears. Others' lashed out violently at their fellows, lifted up by the power of the dark side.

The wail was only the first step, the first move in a massacre.

The Krath war droid tried to stop it.

Keera was ready.

Cortosis blades popped from its arms as it reached for her, tried to stop her. She did not hesitate; she raised her hands and flung the machine away. It struck the wall behind it hard; sparks emerged from the back of its head.

The cultist that had led them down here, screamed and swung his weapon at her, a stun stick on maximum setting, had it made contact it might have done some serious damage.

It did not.

Her lightsaber was in hand, the blade blazed with ruby light, turning the room the color of fresh blood.

Keera ducked under the leader's weapon, ducked and struck back. Her blade found his neck; the metal enhancements did little to stop the fiery red beam as it cut deep into the fanatic's body.

His head came away in a shower of sparks; any blood that might have flowed was vaporized in seconds.

She did not let the body fall, she flung back into the largest group of cultists, she threw it with such force it might have well been a projectile fired from some ancient cannon.

Screams both organic and mechanical filled the air.

Keera grinned hungrily.

Scream all you want, she thought; such noise will not save you.

She giggled as she raised her weapon and lunged at the closest cultist.

You called me a destroyer, she thought, oh how limited your view is.

This was more than just destruction, she could have used a spell and achieved the same results, but she did not want to.

She wanted to use her blade; she wanted to peel flesh and metal from bone.

There is no escape for you; she called out, "any of you."

She laughed; it was a cold sound a wicked sound.

"It is time."

She used her weapon to cut down another of the cultists; this one did not even have time to raise his weapon… Her allies were joining the fight now, ion blasters fired and grenades detonated, frying electronics, and droid processors.

Music to my ears, the young Sith thought.

This is what true power feels like.

No compromise.

No quibbling.

All that was left now was action.

"You are all going to die," she informed them.

She lunged for the closest cultist, her next victim.

She would kill them all, and why not.

Was she not the destroyer?

Yes…she was.


	32. Steel and Stone

**Chapter 32: Steel and Stone**

"**DESTROYER! DEFILER! YOU WILL BE TERMINATED!"**

Keera danced backward as the droid attacked relentlessly. Herald Alpha may have been reprogrammed by the cultists, but that did not mean that its programming, _**former**_ programming, had been completely erased.

This droid had been built to kill Force sensitives, primarily Jedi…

…that did not mean that a Sith was safe from its skills.

She spun her lightsaber defensively, the cortosis weave blades built into the droid's arms jabbed and slashed at her defenses. She had already been cut once, blood now ran from her thigh, the result of a strike as she had tried to put some room between herself and the Krath built war droid.

The wound wasn't bad, but had she been a fraction of a second slower…

Her eyes narrowed.

She tried not to think about that.

She tried to tune out the pain, the wound had left her with a slight limp, but as the power of the dark side flowed through her, she had no trouble ignoring it.

After all, what was pain? It was of the crude matter of the material world. The Force was something far more.

_There was no pain where the power lies._

She used the Force to leap up, onto one of the lower balconies; the cultists had all but abandoned them when the fight had started. She found the way clear giving her a brief respite from the attacks of the fanatics' droid leader. She did not have long to catch her breath. Herald Alpha was already in pursuit, its clawed hands and feet digging into the concrete, scaling the wall like some insect, it would be on her again in moments.

Keera didn't bother trying to call for help; there was none to be had at that moment.

Her allies had their own problems.

The fanatics' enclave had become a war zone. Blasters and blades flashed as Keera and her crew engaged their enemy. Ion blasts popped as the young Sith's allies fought back against the tide of rogue droids and cyborgs that were trying to overwhelm them.

Ro threw an ion charge that detonated in the middle of group of the cultists. Their power systems shut down as electricity danced over their armored chasses. As they twitched, he pulled out his regular blaster and fired into them, ending the lives of the ones that he could. It was not easy to get a quick kill on such creatures, their enhancements kept them going after wounds that would have finished anyone else.

Rink had an ion pistol out and blasted away with abandon at the men and women who had taken his girl from him. The pain he was in was like a beacon in the Force, feelings of betrayal, anger, and loss radiated out from the former street rat.

Seeing what had been done to his woman, the one he had sought for so long…

Was it any wonder he was in such pain?

Keera hated to admit it, but she actually pitied her pilot and ally.

Rink had not deserved to have his story end this way. He should have been able to be happy with his little Twi'lek. The two of them should have been able to find a life together, a place where the only destiny that mattered was the one that they charted for themselves.

It was…unfortunate.

She had lost track of Tia, the girl, **former** girl, had been close by when the fighting had begun, but then she had vanished. Had she been struck down? Keera did not know. She…

WHOA!

The droid leapt over a railing that had been offering the young Sith cover, it moved with a speed that was almost unheard of for a machine. Any thought of her allies faded as Keera found herself once again on the defensive.

_You have no time to think of others_, the darkness within warned.

_Keep your head in this fight, or you will lose it._

_Good advice_, she realized.

The war droid may have been old, but that did not make it any less dangerous. This machine had been designed to kill Jedi; several Jedi masters had died at the hands of such droids. This machine was not to be underestimated.

She needed to get her head back in the game.

Recognizing the need for a bit of offense, Keera struck back at her enemy, she performed a quick Makashi lunge, before falling back quickly. Herald Alpha had the move scouted, it moved in; its arms tearing through a collapsed concrete pillar, freeing large chunks of stone and reinforced durasteel rods. Keera fell back again and gestured, using the Force to spin the rubble around her and send it flying back at her opponent.

The barrage pushed the droid back, its face plate was struck hard, denting it, several other large pieces of debris caught it in the chest sending it stumbling back even further.

It was at that moment that one of the rods struck the machine in just the right place.

The effect was instantaneous.

An electronic scream escaped the droid's vocalizer as the rod penetrated its shoulder, striking at a weak spot where the armor plates had joined. Sparks flew as the war droid staggered back, but that was not all.

Keera's eyes widened.

She was shocked to see liquid flowing from the machines torn appendage. It was a mix of oil and blood.

The droid tore the rod free, losing a piece of its shoulder armor in the process. What was revealed beneath was as shocking at was horrifying.

The young Sith gasped.

_**Emperor save us!**_

Beneath its plating, the droid's internals had been…altered. Blood flowed through lubricant cables, and if Keera was not mistaken, it looked like the cultist had integrated organic tendons into the droid's skeleton. She could see where the flesh had been grafted to the metal, where the fanatics had tried to blend the organic and the synthetic.

It was **most **disturbing.

What was worse, she could sense the Force in that blood, its power trapped in the metal shell.

A realization came over her.

_Was this why the cultists had chosen to hide within Shadowtown? Had they come here to acquire Force sensitive stock to try and improve themselves? Was __**this **__the fate that the fanatics had in mind for her?_

The realization horrified her, but that was not all.

Her eyes narrowed.

It also enraged her. She was angry, furious!

A shuddering breath escaped her throat. The darkness burned in her breast.

_They are so limited these fools_, she thought.

_They had no idea what they were playing with._

_I will teach them_, she thought with a snarl of rage.

She would make them pay!

Her skill with a lightsaber was limited here, the ion blasts and charges that served so well in slowing their enemy was having an effect on her as well. Her artificial arm was malfunctioning, its internals effected by the same bursts. The result limited her to the one handed variation of Makashi, denying her the power of the overhead strikes that having the use of both hands would offer, but that was okay.

A lightsaber was not her only weapon.

The dark side was more than capable of being her sword, and she was skilled in using it.

She was more than skilled.

She raised her hand, and tried to catch Herald Alpha in a Force grip. She intended to turn the droid's armor into a vice; she would crush its internal components into slag.

Sadly, it was **not **that easy.

The ancient spells that the Krath magicians had used to protect their toy remained strong. Keera's attempt to use the Force was resisted, the Force warped around the armor as the droid pushed through her attack.

Impressive, she thought.

I should really consider bringing whatever is left of this thing back to TCS, or perhaps to my alchemists.

The thought made her smile.

Yes, her people would learn much from what the Krath had done with that armor, who knew, it might even serve to improve her own servants. HK Sigma Three had been complaining ever since he had encountered a newer model HK on one of his missions. He had requested an upgrade, eager to be better than the upstart who saw him as out of date.

Keera was willing, and who knew, if her people could crack the secrets of spells built into this droids armor?

HK would no doubt find such upgrades…acceptable.

Of course, she had to survive this fight first, didn't she?

Keera dropped into her Soresu guard, ready for the next exchange.

The cultists Herald raised its weapons.

"You will fall, destroyer," it declared coldly, "You will be terminated!"

She snarled in fury, a wild animal let out of its cage!

The droid was impressive but it would not survive what came next.

The tricks of a pack of spoiled, long-dead, aristocrats would not stop her.

She was Sith.

She would **not **be denied.

Below her an angry roar turned her blood cold.

Keera dared a quick glance down…and looked into the eyes of a nightmare.

Early in her training, she had nearly died when a Wookie prisoner nearly disemboweled her during a fight on the academy world of Butcher's Clearing. She still had nightmares about it. Even today she would awake hearing the monster's roar ringing in her ears, her sheets soaked in cold sweat, and the memory of long sharp claws tearing into her flesh.

She shivered.

She heard that roar again, as loud and as angry as it had been all those years ago.

Holli had learned of the incident a few years back, Keera had used the Force to connect them momentarily, it had been part of a successful gambit, but it had also given the changeling knowledge of what had happened to her master, knowledge of what she still feared.

Holli was using that fear now.

She had taken the ragged, bedraggled shape of the Wookie, and was using it to terrifying effect. She tore mechanical limbs from shouldered, used the beasts claws to rend flesh from the faces and throats of their enemies. When the cultists tried to retreat, she pulled her ion blaster and damaged them, slowed them, giving her time to close the distance, close the distance and tear the malfunctioning things limb from limb.

Keera shuddered at the sight, she almost felt sorry for the cultists.

Almost.

Her allies were fighting for their lives; she did not blame them for giving into their rage and hostility. How else were they going to survive this?

Herald Alpha again tried to get inside her guard, to land a killing blow. Force lightning flashed from her fingertips as she tried to drive the machine back. Its armor held, but it was not as effective against a discipline of the dark side, either that, or the flesh that had been bonded to it offered a weakness that the cultists had not considered.

Her attack slowed the droid, and she moved in quickly, eager to take its head, and end this fight.

A pained electronic shriek from behind her drew her attention, she whirled around to find one of the cultists charging towards her, its arms having transformed into two wicked blades.

Keera's left hand snapped up, she gestured, reaching out with the Force.

The cyborg stopped in its tracks, its electronic scream rang out again, a blend of flesh and the whine of a machine.

The Sith did not hesitate. She seized the metal chassis, and began to squeeze; she folded the armor in upon the flesh of the creature, she did not stop until the head vanished inside the constricting metal, until blood ran from between the joins, and all sound ceased.

She flung the broken ruin against the nearest wall; it was garbage, broken and dead. It was…

"DIE!"

She spun around; Herald Alpha had used the slight moment of distraction to recover. She tried to bring up her sword but it was too late.

Her arms shot up to defend herself as a long cortosis weave blade punched through the flesh of her right arm. It stopped the forward momentum of the weapon, but that did little to kill the shock and the pain.

A blood blade now stuck through her arm, her good arm!

The droid tried to pull away, perhaps to cut away the flesh and leave her without her right arm.

Shock turned to fury.

Not again, she thought.

NEVER AGAIN!

Keera roared in agony the blade less than an inch from her breast plate. The droid tried both remove the limb, or push in closer, and impale the injured Sith.

Not happening!

She looked up at the droid, her vision going red, her heart pounding in her ears, the dark side flowing through her veins like venom, or supercharged fuel.

_You,_ she thought.

_**YOOOOU!**_

_**RAAAAAAAAAAAGH!**_

The world went away lost in a wave of pain and hate.

Her heart continued to pound as all conscious thought faded, lost in the waves dark side energy that were now flowing unchecked through the young dark lord's body.

Her mechanical hand shot out, somehow finding where the droid's head joined its body, not really a neck, but the closest thing to one, and it was unarmored.

Force lightning flowed from the crystals in her arm, it flowed up inside the droid's body, bypassing the armor as metal fingers dug into internal systems.

The last clear sight she saw was the droid's optics pop. The voltage she pumped into it destroyed them, and still she did not let up, smoke began to pour from the droid's chassis as organic parts caught fire, and oil and blood burst into flames, but it was not enough.

No.

It was just the beginning.

What followed was frenzy, an out of control storm of blades and Sith magic. It fell upon the cultists like an inferno. Oaths of vengeance and cries of defiance soon turned into death rattles and pleas for mercy...

…Pleas that fell on deaf ears.

The air stank of blood, ozone, and death.

She briefly saw the face of a cultist, a boy, sixteen, perhaps seventeen. He was on his knees before her, she saw no cybernetics.

She used the blade still stuck in her arm, she plunged it through his ear and out the other side.

The sight of his death only excited her, filled with a desire for even more.

Kill them, the darkness screamed in her ears.

KILL THEM ALL!

After that everything was a haze, screams and cries. Blaster bolts flew at her only to be sent back to those who fired them. Blades flashed towards her only to be turned away as her own weapons cleaved the body of her attackers apart.

She sensed terror, terror and the desire to flee.

She did not let that happen.

She fell upon those trying to run away, she tore them to pieces. They begged for the droid masters to save them, to protect them from the destroyer.

They found no help, only blood and death.

The Sith shrieked, lost in the slaughter, blood drunk!

More!

MORE! MORE! MORE!

The sound of the turbolift drew her attention cultists trying to escape to the higher levels. She did not bother pursue, she simply grabbed their bodies with the Force and beat them against the lift wall until it gave in and they plummeted back down to the floor below.

She leapt upon the bodies, tearing into them with both her lightsaber and the Force. She tore into them until she felt not a single flicker of life within them, and even that did not satisfy.

She wanted more.

She needed more.

Through the haze a vision came to her. The vision was of a beautiful golden throne, surrounded by a sea of stars. She made her way to it, stumbling on the long walkway, a walkway nearly blocked by the skulls of the dead.

She looked down seeing them all, thousands of skulls, perhaps millions, maybe even a billion!

It should have horrified her but it did not. All that mattered was the throne.

It was all that ever mattered.

It is mine, she thought, she giggled like a child on some feast day morning.

The galaxy.

The Empire.

It is all mine.

Mine.

Mine

MINE!

She raised her head and roared in victory! Drinking in the death of an entire galaxy, reveling in the power of the dark side, she savored.

"KEERA!"

The cry penetrated the vision, that and the red haze. It drew her back onto the mortal plane, back into the world of the mundane.

Keera sat in the middle of a sea of wreckage; all that remained of the cultists and their compound. Fires burned around her as the stench of death and burnt metal teased her senses.

She was breathing heavily, her face splattered with oil and blood, the blade of Krath war droid was still sticking out of her arm, but there was no pain.

_There was no pain where the power lies._

Ro stood before her, she looked at him, could sense his exhaustion, but also his shock and fear.

They had survived this fight, but in its wake…all that was left was destruction.

Keera nodded.

Good.

Her mask was broken the lower left half had been cut away, blood ran down her cheek from the cut that removed it, but other than that, she was mostly intact.

"You're hurt," Ro said raising her right arm, the blade still sticking from it.

Keera looked down on it.

It had mostly gone through her arm; it would be easier to push it through than to pull it out.

Ro understood he held her arm, steadying it, while she seized it firmly, careful not to cut herself, the weapon was still sharp.

She pulled with all her strength, that and the Force.

The blade slid through and out, she gasped in a mix of agony and relief.

She fell against Ro, he held her up as she gasped, trying to regain her breath. He steadied her, as he tore a strip of cloth from her cloak, wrapping it tightly around her wounded arm.

"Don't worry," he soothed, holding her, making sure that she did not fall.

Keera took a shuddering breath, part of her, the weak part of her wanted to stay here, to simply be held.

The darkness did not allow it.

She was not some weak willed farm girl.

She was Sith.

She did not have the luxury of being weak.

"Is…is everyone okay?" she asked.

"We're all alive," Ro informed her.

Keera glanced past him. She saw Holli on her knees, her hands and mouth bloody, the engineer seemed to be in shock, perhaps she was. Rink was…

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Rink was on his knees.

He had found Tia.

What was left of the Twi'lek had been damaged during the battle; her metal legs were gone; her right arm torn from its socket, leaving only a sparking remnant. The left was intact, but it seemed fried by the ion charged, it twitched in an uncontrolled manner.

The pilot was holding the girl, or rather, what had been the girl. Whispering words of comfort in what was likely her final moments.

Keera pulled away from Ro.

This would not do, she thought.

Rink had no right to feel sorry for this thing.

Keera had offered it a new life, and it had spit in her face!

There was only one answer to such disrespect, and only one of their party could carry it out.

"Rink," she said coldly.

He didn't respond.

"Mister Rink," she repeated.

He blinked and looked up.

"Yeah," he said in a small voice, "Yeah, boss."

She sneered.

"Kill it," she said, "Kill it, now."

Rink looked up at her, his eyes filled with shock.

"Boss…I…"

"Did I stutter, Mister Rink?"

"No, Boss, you…"

"You **have** your orders. You **will** carry them out."

Holli hearing what was going on snapped out of her stupor.

"My lord," she said, "You can't just…"

Keera glared at the engineer, daring her to say anything else.

This creature and her fellows had attacked her. They dared to try and oppose her, her, A Dark Lord of the Sith.

Every one of these fanatics deserved death, even Rink's little plaything. She had chosen her side.

Now…Rink needed to choose his.

Yes, Keera thought.

Rink needs to choose.

She would not be questioned; the dark side flowed through her, increasing both her confidence and resolve.

She knew what had to be done.

Her servants **would **obey her.

Rink looked down at Tia, the girl was whispering, murmuring his name.

"Thran, come…come closer, Thran."

He did as she asked, he drew closer.

Keera watched, impatiently.

Rink needed to.

He never saw the blade.

Tia's remaining arm split apart, revealing a nasty curved stiletto. It plunged towards Rink's throat. The pilot was too slow to get out of the way.

He gasped barely aware of what was happening, he.

The blade kissed his throat…

…it went no farther.

Tia hissed as she struggled, trying to push the blade in, to impale her old friend.

The blade would not move, it had barely touched Rink, a single drop of blood ran down his neck.

He looked up.

Keera stood before him, her eyes glowing with violet fire, her hand was raised it shook unsteadily, the result of the wound from the war droid.

She had held back the killing blow, she had saved his life.

I could have let him die, she thought, I should have let him die.

Of course, if she had done that, she would not be able to find the ship. No, Rink still had uses.

She would not discard him so easily.

He stumbled to his feet, and drew his blaster. Tia spat and snarled, still trying to free herself, still trying to kill him.

"You could have been a part of us," she growled, "You would have been saved! We would have been together! You are fool! A FOOL! YOU'RE…"

Rink did not hesitate further; he fired three times at close range, hitting the cyborg in the head and in the upper body.

The thing that had been the girl he loved slumped over, the devices in her head tails sparked, the bladed arm twitched twice, and finally fell still.

Rink looked down on the wreckage, he had sought this girl for so long, tried to find her so that they could be together.

Now…he had learned the futility of that dream.

Keera nodded pleased that he had done as she ordered.

She wanted to say well done, to let him know that she still respected and needed him.

What she felt through the Force stopped her.

Rink did not want to hear her praise. He did not want to hear anything right now.

Some of the certainty that Keera had been feeling faded.

She frowned.

She knew what it was like to lose someone you loved.

She knew.

She looked at the destruction around them. The cultists would no longer threaten anyone on Nar Shadda or in the Empire. They were done here, the mission was accomplished.

Or it would be…shortly.

"Commander Holli," she said, "See if you can locate the mainframe that these people were using. Find me the icebreaker program that we were sent form and anything else that might prove useful."

Holli found her feet she wiped the blood from her mouth on her sleeve.

"Yes…yes, my lord," she said slowly, "but the system maybe damaged beyond repair."

"If it is, so be it," Keera said, "I will trust your judgment, but at the same time, see what you can salvage."

She turned to Ro. He was still concerned about her safety.

He did not need to be.

"I want you to recover the remains of the war droid that these fools were following; its technology still has use to me."

"Yes, my lord," he said, though he still looked hesitant to leave her side.

It was sweet of him, but she did not need his concern right now.

They were done here.

She wanted to be away.

She turned back to Rink; he just stood there; staring down at the broken thing that had been the girl he had loved.

"Will you be okay to fly the ship?" she asked, "If you need time…?"

"No," he said quickly, wiping his face with his forearm.

"I'm…I'm okay, boss."

He tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimace.

"Let's get out of here."

IOI

It took them an hour to complete their search.

Holli managed to find the program that they needed. The cultists had been smart enough to back up their files in servers hardened against external attack.

Ro retrieved what was left of Herald Alpha; the droid would be going back to Keera's more scientifically inclined followers.

They would find a way to make use of what was left.

As they departed, Holli stayed close to Rink, the two had worked closely together these last few years. If he needed someone to talk to, if he needed a friend she would be there.

Keera said nothing; her days of comforting her servants were over. Perhaps she had allowed herself to get too close to them. If a problem did develop between her and Mister Rink, she would deal with it.

It was not her fault that his girl had turned rabid. In the end, all they could do was put the creature down.

She felt no shame in doing so.

The turbolift shuddered as it rose, finally, the group made their way through the cultists' labs. Ro led the way with Holli and Rink following close behind, and Keera staying back as rear guard.

As they move she realized that she had almost forgotten something, one valuable thing that she could not simply leave behind.

She smiled as she limped through the lab.

Yes, there was one last piece of business to deal with.

She found herself standing before the nursery, the pods containing the next generation of the fanatics she had just dealt with.

Keera looked down at the controls. She was no slicer, but it was clear that the cult had taken steps to ensure that their technology did not fall into the hands of outsiders.

Each pod was rigged to destroy itself if anyone tried to tamper with it. The life inside was nothing compare to what these…people had been trying to protect.

Keera snarled.

If she abandoned this place, these children would die slow agonizing deaths. If she contacted the Sith garrison, it was unclear if they would be able to help the babies inside these pods, considering the corruption she had seen it was more likely that the children would find themselves on the Hutts' slave market, a fate that she would not wish on anyone.

Keera shook her head.

She saw only one way to help these children, and by helping them, she helped herself.

She had lost a lot of blood. Her wounds may not have been life threatening, but that did not mean they could not become a weakness.

And she could not afford to show weakness, not now.

No.

She knew what she had to do.

She raised her hands, the spell already on her lips.

She could not save these creatures, but they could aid her, they had use.

And what good was life in the galaxy if it did not serve the will of a Sith?

In the end, it was nothing.

She took one last look, wanting to remember what was about to happen.

This would be a mercy of sorts, the only mercy she could offer.

It was the mercy of a heart of stone.

Steel may have been cold, but a Sith sometimes had to be colder

The galaxy required sacrifice.

She took a deep breath and cast the spell, listening to the sounds of the children.

I can do this, she thought.

Sacrifice.


	33. The Name

**Chapter 33: The Name**

The quality of the holo was not good. The image crackled, and the perspective made it look like it had been recorded looking through a fish bowl.

Still…it served its purpose; it showed what it had promised to show.

Keera had no true complaints.

She recognized where the holo had been taken immediately. She recognized the now deceased Dug Go-Between and his court of scum.

The young Sith smiled.

Rink had been right, the Tailor had come through. The images had a time stamp in the corner; this recording had been made a week and a half before the attack on Pholis.

She had been expecting him to simply offer up a name, but the Gotal had gone above and beyond that. This recording offered a chance to not only get the name she required, but a face as well. In building the Empire's case against the rebels on Oridanna, such images would be priceless.

Keera was more than pleased.

She would never claim that this mission to Nar Shadda had been a success, still she had gotten what she had needed, and found access to a new well spring of power, and made a new contact. Things may not have gone as well as she had hoped, but that did not mean that she was unhappy.

_No, she had acquired what was needed._

_That was all that mattered._

IOI

Feltipern Keez had been in good spirits when they had returned to his shop. The Gotal smiled broadly Keera had stepped through the door.

"Welcome back, my lord," he had said with a wide toothy grin. "I do hope that your journey into Shadowtown was productive."

Keera had smiled back, but it was a cold smile, a predator's smile.

Kill him, the darkness whispered, reaching out with the darkness and drink his life energy, drain him, dry, it will be a nice appetizer, something to tide you over until the you find a quiet world and enjoy the main course.

She licked her lips.

Yes, it would be good.

It would be very good.

Her head was buzzing, her emotions were raw and close to the surface. The energies she had absorbed before leaving the cultists' compound was still with her.

Glorious!

Wondrous!

She had never felt so strong!

She had never felt so…perfect!

The energy, the life she had taken, it had left her flying! There had been so much potential in those little bodies, in those children, despite what fanatics had done to them; everything that those babies were, was, and could have been was now a part of her. Every cell in her body was tingling. The dark side sang in her blood, gorged by the lives she had taken, and the violence she had indulged in. She felt like she had downed a container of the purest form of spice.

I'm high, she realized, only barely stifling a giggle.

I'm orbiting the moon right now!

She smirked.

Glorious!

So much energy, so much potential…

In the past she had only fed off of enemies, creatures that had openly opposed her, fellow Sith and warriors that had been tainted by the world, by war, but this…this was something else entirely.

It made her shudder.

I want _**more**_, she thought, I _**need**_ more!

She wanted to fly to a distant world, a world yet to be touched by the war. She wanted to find a settlement filled with the most innocent and naïve people.

The thought made her mouth water.

She wanted to feed! She wanted to take the lives of every innocent in the galaxy! If she felt like this after absorbing a few babies, what would it be like to absorb the life energy of every child on a planet, in an entire star system! Would she be able to control it?! Would it consume her?

I want to try.

I want to find out!

I want…

She took a shuddering breath.

No.

She shook her head.

No.

She…she could not do it.

She licked her lips, hating herself for both denying what she wanted, and for wanting to do it in the first place.

She took another deep breath.

Focus, she thought.

Focus.

This was the trap that had ensnared Darth Nihilus three centuries ago. He had lost himself to his hunger, indulging it had destroyed him, destroyed any chance he had of truly ruling over the Sith.

She shook her head.

She would not fall into the same trap, no matter how tempting it was.

Hunger was not everything!

There was control, yes, that is what she needed right now.

She needed control.

Power was nothing without control, if allowed to rage unchecked she would no longer be a lord, she would be a slavering predator; a creature too lost to its own appetites to do what was expected of her.

Control, yes, that is what she had tried to teach her apprentices.

The Empire was about order; it was about bringing security and justice to a chaotic galaxy. It was only through the dark side that such order could be accomplished, that control of the galaxy could truly be gained.

What she was thinking about, what she desired was not about control, it was about the loss of control.

No, she would not lose herself to this, her people needed her. The galaxy needed her.

Oridanna needed to be destroyed so that it could be reborn, reshaped in her image.

She took another deep breath, she was still a buzz from the energy she had absorbed but now she was back in control.

She finally had control of herself.

She tried to keep her voice warm and civil when she addressed the Gotal.

There was no need to frighten him; there was no need to let him know how much she wanted to kill him in that moment.

"Things did not go as…cordially as I would have liked," she admitted, pulling out the data card containing the icebreaker program that he had requested.

"Your payment," she said, "An item that is now one of a kind. The people that created are….no longer in business I'm afraid."

The Gotal laughed a bleating sound that was not entirely unpleasant.

"Unfortunate," he said taking the card, "But not entirely unexpected. Several of my clients will be pleased to hear that they are no longer a concern."

Master Feltipern grinned at her.

"Some may consider themselves in your debt now, my lord."

Keera felt a mix of both pride and annoyance at the creature's comfort, on one hand she was glad to have eliminated an enemy, but on the other hand, the Gotal had put her into a position where she could not have escaped without doing what she had done. Plus, her hold on Thranton Rink was no longer as strong as it once was. His girl was now dead.

She pursed her lips.

If the Gotal was as good as he appeared; he likely knew what had become of the girl. He could have warned Keera, he could have warned Rink.

Again she felt the desire to kill the alien. The temptation was still there, and it was extremely strong. Her fingers curled into fists. She…

She blinked.

Huh?

Um…whoa!

She shuddered.

Mmmm!

Keera smiled.

Ro Wilkes had come up beside her; she had been so focused on the Gotal and her desire to kill him that much had escaped her.

Ro stood at her shoulder, his hand had gently slipped beneath her cloak; his finger had found a soft spot between the armor plates that defended her back and chest.

Mmm.

She tried not to lose focus.

A single finger stroked her back, the touch was feather light, but it sent warmth cascading through her body, maybe it was just the life energy she had absorbed, but it seemed so much more, and quite soothing.

She glanced over at him; she sensed his emotions, his desire to keep her from losing her temper.

She nodded slightly.

He need not have worried about that.

His touch had made sure of that.

She looked at him, her eyes flashed with purple fire.

She no longer desired death and killing.

She licked her lips.

_Over two years,_ TWO YEARS, even now the thought made her ache.

She needed to get back to the ship, to her quarters.

_She wanted Ro!_

_She wanted him now!_

The Force had been drawing them back together, she knew that now, but not simply to slake lust and fulfill the curiosity of childhood.

Darth Avaryss would never have been able to do what was needed. When she unmasked to the people, they needed to see it was not just another Sith, but Andur and Mya Lylos' daughter. Having Ro at her side would help sell that realization, there were many who knew of what her father and his friend had wanted for their children.

Avaryss could never have destroyed Oridanna, but Keera could get in close, far closer than any other Sith. Her homeworld would be remade before her people even realized what had happened.

The girl that had been taken had returned, and she was going to reshape their world!

Keera's face was the perfect lure, and Ro would help her sell it, once the two of them had _consummated _their…relationship.

He would likely not understand, what she intended to do to their home, but she would make sure that he was too pleased with her performance to care.

She smiled at the thought.

She was quite skilled in certain arenas…she was eager to teach him what that meant.

Most eager.

Again she held back a shudder of pleasure, how a simple caress could be so exciting she did not know?

Keera sighed softly.

She hoped that the ship was not far.

She was not sure how much longer she would be able to hold these desires at bay.

They were most…distracting.

_Let's not think about __**that **__right now, she needed to stay focused on the job at hand._

"The debt of your clients is all well and good, Master Feltipern," she said, "But it is not the reason that I've returned."

She tried to keep her words light, but her hand was close to her belt, her lightsaber.

I trust you have the item that I requested, both the lovely gown and the…other trifle I asked you about?"

The Gotal nodded and made for the curtain at the back of his shop.

"Both are ready and waiting your inspection, my lord," he promised, disappearing into his back room. He returned a few moments later, a simple plastic box in his arms.

"You will find the garment to your liking," he said, "As for that "other trifle," both the name and a certain holo are within."

He gave that bleating laugh again.

"I try my best to make a new client happy; you never know when they might want something."

Keera nodded respectfully.

"If both the garment and the item proves to be as good as I've heard, you will hear from me again, Master Feltipern. I do so enjoy working with professionals."

"You need not worry on that point, my lord."

"Everything will be to your liking."

IOI

She did not open the holo until she was safely back in her quarters aboard her original Fury. Rink had found a landing pad not far from the cantina were they had first met up.

Keera had been most pleased to see the old ship again, not simply because it meant that they were not stranded, but because this vessel had played such an important part in her life, or rather, Avy's life.

She touched it with the Force; she could sense the dark side energy within.

It comforted her, so familiar was that sensation, that feeling in the dark side.

She took comfort in the darkness, a sweet shadow she could hide in.

Wonderful.

Avaryss had come to see this ship as her home. It had been the first place in the galaxy where she had had total control, Keera had experienced those feelings second hand, but now understood completely why her other half was so taken with the ship.

It had been a part of them, and had played a huge part in many victories.

How could it not become important to either her or Avy?

Where else would they feel at home?

They had been welcomed back by 2V-R9, the ship's servant droid. Avaryss had permitted Rink to bring him along, just so there would be someone to care for the systems that Rink did not have time to deal with. The droid was most pleased to see his Sith Master again, promising that all systems were functioning within acceptable perimeters, and that there was absolutely no reason for her to consider scrapping him.

Keera could have teased the droid, amused herself by playing on his synthetic fears, but instead, chose not to.

She was simply happy to be getting off this rock, returning both to Oridanna and her real mission.

Torturing her old servant had little interest compared to that.

Holli had not been happy when she had gotten a chance to look at the engine compartment. Rink's level of care for the ship was not up to her demanding standards. She might have pushed him on that, but given the pain that their pilot was in, the engineer cut him a great deal of slack.

Keera understood why, yes, the ship had gone down far from traditional imperial standards, Rink had not even tried to maintain them, but that was fine. She had never been a stickler for such things. Two-Vee had kept things running, the necessary systems, at least.

It was those systems that mattered.

She could have punished him, but did not see the point, he was already in pain; she saw no reason to add to it, not at this time anyway.

She knew what it was like to lose a loved one.

Being a gracious lord, she had offered to relieve Rink of his duties temporarily. Ro Wilkes was more than capable of flying the ship. She would miss his presence elsewhere, but if her servant needed time, she was willing to offer it, he had earned that much for his years of loyal service.

He tried to laugh off such a request. He assured her that he was fine, and was more than capable of flying; in fact he wanted to do it.

"I need to focus on something right now, boss, anything."

Rink managed a weak smile.

"Let me fly, please."

Though she was not sure if he was up to it, she still granted his request. If anything came up, she had two perfectly skilled officers ready to take the controls.

She would give him something to focus on, it was the least she could do, though he had initially hesitated in carrying out her order back at the cultist compound, he had done what she had ordered.

She was willing to let him do this.

Who knew, it might even help.

The only part of the ship that remained untouched by her pilot had been her private quarters, those had been sealed since the day he had left on his hunt, and the locking mechanism she had installed made sure of that.

Her quarters could only be accessed by using the Force, the lock could only be undone by the use of telekinesis, the kind that only a Sith would be able to use.

As a result, her quarters, Avy's quarters, and the few trinkets she stored there remained untouched. The lightsabers she had collected from her fallen foes still hung in a place of honor on her wall, along with the Sith war blade that she had used during her days as an Acolyte.

The sight pleased her. The feel of the place caressed her as she stepped into the room. She took a deep breath and smiled.

At long last, she felt like was home.

She felt the deck rumble beneath her feet, Rink firing the docking thrusters, bringing them out of the hangar and into the Nar Shadda sky.

She stood where she was, enjoying the familiar sensation of her ship taking flight. She did not move until she felt the slight shift when the craft finally executed the jump into hyperspace.

It was only then that she felt truly relax.

They were finally away from the Smuggler's Moon.

She was finally on her way home.

She took a quick sonic shower and emerged feeling much refreshed, clad in her favorite nightgown, she went to her bed. Both the gown and the data packet she had gotten from Gotal were waiting for her.

She picked up the garment, inspecting it with a well-trained eye.

She had to admit the tailor did good work.

This was a garment that she could wear to an imperial function, and she would…eventually.

She put it aside; the gown was for the future. The information that the alien had found for her was for the present.

She hoped that it may play a necessary part in the plan she was hatching for her home.

She hoped it would be useful.

She loaded the holo first, eager to see just who and what the information broker had found for her. Normally she would not have waited this long, but Rink had assured her that she had nothing to worry about, Feltipern Keez lived by his reputation, if he said this was what she was looking for, then it was.

She was willing to trust her servant on this.

She hoped that he was right.

She had thought to have Ro with her when she opened the package, perhaps he would recognize the person they sought. Given his job and reputation, he might have something more to offer.

Of course, if he had been here, the two of them alone in her private quarters, she was not sure if she would have been able to control herself. Her desire might have gotten the best of her; she did not want that, not yet.

No, business before pleasure, she thought morosely.

I will deal with this alone.

The holo had clearly been taken with the Dug go-between's residence; she recognized the place, and the creatures within. A single figure stood before the little alien, his features obscured by a helmet with a full blast shield to cover his face.

Keera frowned.

So, this was the one that had hired the pirates?

Most interesting.

The rebel, if that is what this person was, was humanoid, he was probably around six feet tall, clad in a dark maroon robe and matching helmet. The robe was quite billowy, and obscured much of the being's features. You could not tell if this person was thin or muscular, male or female. The hands were gloved, but appeared human with five digits. Beyond that there was little to tell about the creature. The helmet covered the head completely, making it impossible to tell if this person was human or a humanoid alien.

It could be anyone under that thing. The sloping bell shape of the helmet could have hid any number of alien features, Aqualish, Rodian; she did not think it would be a Twi'lek, the head tails would never have fit, still…

This could be anyone; the holo offered no clues of just who this person was.

She accessed the data card that was included with the holo; it was of a transcript of what passed between the dug and his mysterious guest. It had been likely written down from memory, probably everything that the Gotal's agent within the go-between's court, could remember. Again nothing real surprising here, except for the name the creature had offered. A name that made Keera sit up and take notice.

She frowned.

The being that had hired the pirates, he said that his name was Tahl Moritza.

Tahl Moritza.

Keera's frown deepened.

Moritza.

No, she thought, it couldn't be?

She read it twice more and watched the holo again just be sure.

Perhaps the Gotal's man had heard it wrong. That…that could not have been the name he had heard.

"Tahl Moritza," she said the name aloud, hoping that would change it somehow, it did not.

"Tahl Moritza," she repeated again.

As in Mya Moritza, she thought, as in Mya Lylos?

She swallowed hard.

As in…my mother?

She shook her head.

No, it could not be.

It did not make any sense.

When she had first discovered her mother's files back home had been either deleted, or never recorded in the first place, she had been suspicious. The Sith Bureaucracy ran on the need to know, to collect all information and secrets. The disappearance of such information was odd, but not unheard of, if someone powerful asked, usually such things could get lost, but still…still.

She shook her head again.

This…what exactly was this, what had she found.

She had not put one and one together back on Oridanna, there had been no link between her mother and the rebellion, she had had no reason to think that there was a link.

Now, she had found this.

The name of a rebel agent, the name Tahl Moritza.

What did this person have to do with her past?

What was the connection between this…this rebel, and her mother?

She had no answer.

She ran the holo again, looking at the robed figure, the strange helmet. According to what Feltipern Keez had discovered, this Tahl Moritza had been very active on Nar Shadda, visiting many powerful people, gun runners, mercenaries, and smugglers; the type of people that you would want on your side if you were staging a planetary insurrection.

Yet, it was not his actions that interested her in that moment, it was the name, and that was something she could not move past.

Tahl Moritza.

A coincidence, she thought, it has to be, my mother died almost five years ago, crushed to death when our home was destroyed, she died, I know, I felt it.

This Moritza person, they have nothing to do with my mother, the name is probably a fake, some randomly generated name to hide the true culprit of this outrage.

It was probably true, but at the same time, she did not like to believe in coincidence, and what if it wasn't a fake name?

What if it was a statement, maybe someone knew about her mother, what had happened?

What if someone was trying to send her a message, personally?

Keera was not sure what to make of that.

Had her mother's death drawn someone from her past to Oridanna? Was that someone who had connections high up in the Imperial hierarchy?

Had this person erased mother's records?

Too many questions, Keera thought, far too many questions.

She sighed.

Tahl Moritza.

What was she going to do?

She would need to find this person, of course, her plan depended on it.

You will need to find this person; you will need to deal with him.

True, but what if this rebel did have a connection to her, what if something in her mother's past had finally caught up with her daughter?

How far was Keera prepared to go to deal with such a thing?

What would she have to do?

Her heart pounded, she could almost hear the slight strains of her mother's lullaby. She could almost hear her voice, telling her to come home, that she was needed.

She needed to come home.

Keera tried to ignore it, to push such thoughts from her mind.

It did not matter.

None of it did.

She would bring down the rebellion; she needed to do it, for her Empire, for her order.

Only through this victory would she finally be strong enough to take the next step in her life.

Only then would she be strong enough to both physically and politically to deal with her master.

She had to do this.

She had to.

Her fingers curled into fists.

Darth Feer had to die.

She could no longer endure her life as his apprentice.

She needed to be free!

She turned off the holo, and took it to her desk, she shut the recording up inside along with the data card containing the name of Tahl Moritza

She knew what she had to do.

When she returned to Oridanna she would need to set her hounds loose, she needed to find this rebel, but she would have to be careful about it.

She was surrounded by enemies. People that would like nothing more to destroy her, to ruin her name.

If this rebel did have some connection to her past, he would need to die quickly, before he had the chance to tell anyone else about their history.

I will need to handle this myself, she realized.

I can trust no one with this, not my crew, not my enforcers, certainly not my master and his dog Sadi.

She sighed.

She was truly alone in this. There was no one she could trust with this.

She could probably have told Fenn about it, but what would that do?

No, she could not say anything, not even to him.

Fenn was a Jedi, loyal to the Republic. He would be duty-bound to tell his superiors about such a weakness in the Sith's armor. The rebels already wanted Oridanna to cede from the Empire.

The Republic could use such information against her, against the Empire she loved.

No, she thought.

No, she could not do that.

She was no fool.

"No one can know," she murmured.

"No one."

"Who is being Tahl Moritza?"

The voice drew her attention; she whirled around her lightsaber leapt from the nightstand by her bed, and into her hands.

The weapon ignited with an evil hiss!

Keera snarled and pointed the blade before her; the dark side finally revealing to her what she had not sensed when had first stepped inside her quarters.

I'm not alone, she thought angrily.

I never was.

The thought filled her with rage.

Who dared!

She was a Darth.

No one spied upon a Darth.

"Come out," she spat, the red blade turning the shadows the color of fresh blood.

"You cannot hide from me."

She heard cruel laughter, laughter touched with just a bit of madness.

The shadows shifted revealing two glowing yellow eyes, that and a wide white smile.

"It was not being my intention to be hiding from you, my master. You have been searching for me, yes? It is being my wish to finally return to your service."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Master?

It was in that moment that she realized who it was that had breached her inner sanctum, who else could have breached her locks undetected, who else would have known about them?

Two of her apprentices were back on Oridanna, but there was another, a third.

She glared coldly at the shadows.

"Necris," she spat.

The shadow's smile widened. Suddenly, it parted, revealing a young alien girl, her skin was red as a Sith blade. Her ears short and pointed, two black spots adorned her forehead, in a male of her species those spots would have been horns, but not in a female.

The girl bowed deeply to her master, once she had been called Quenya Sai Malloc, a Padawan of the Jedi Order.

She had ceased to be Quenya long ago, and now she was someone else.

Now she was Necris.

"Hello, my master," her first apprentice said jovially, "how nice for you to be seeing me again."

Keera sneered.

"Yes," she hissed.

"Isn't it?"


	34. Seeds

**Chapter 34: Seeds**

The shuttle emerged from hyperspace and made a slow, almost lazy turn.

Keera watched from the hangar deck of her destroyer. The Emperor's Wisdom was one of the few destroyers that had been upgraded to carry a larger fighter compliment, and as a result have more room for shuttle and interceptor docking.

The young dark lord sighed.

Was it just her, or was the shuttle taking a far longer time on the final approach? It would not have surprised her if it was.

Her frown deepened.

The passenger on that ship would like nothing more than to annoy her, despite the fact that they were technically allies, the Emperor was dead, and the Empire was at war.

Petty concerns always seemed to influence her master's wife, especially when it came to his apprentice.

Synestra Feer hated Avaryss; she had hated the younger Sith since her husband had first brought her home from Korriban.

Knowing that the woman would be here shortly, that she would be travelling back to Oridanna with her did little to improve Keera's already foul mood, not that it had been the best in the first place. She had planned on having Rink take a leisurely course back to Oridanna, to give her time to…_enjoy_ herself a little. She had planned to invite Ro to her quarters so that she could…"_**debrief**_" him on what she had been thinking lately, what she had come to desire most…

.. A very thorough debrief.

She sighed.

_Two years_, she thought shaking her head.

_It would have been nice to have ended __**that**__ particular dry spell._

Instead, here she was; it was most _**infuriating! **_

She had just finished dealing with Necris when Holli had come for her. She had _**just **_been ready to summon Ro, to begin her revels, and then…it had happened. They had received a transmission from Warmaster Bleez; the lady was on her way and demanded a military escort. Colonel Glasc had, of course, assured her that that would be more than possible. He was the lady's cousin after all, and as a loyalty officer and the lap dog of Darth Feer, he had jumped to see her request met…

He had ordered Captain Kannady to make for the rendezvous immediately. Her Captain complied, of course, but not before making sure that his mistress had been informed; both informed, and given the chance to meet up with the destroyer before the lady's ship arrived.

Though the situation annoyed her, Keera had been pleased by her Captain; he had made the right call, not only that, but it had given her time to get back and make sure all was in readiness for the lady's arrival.

It had been a near thing, but everything that had needed to happen, had happened.

Her plans were still place, the necessary secrecy assured.

Rink and Ro had played their part. Cynn Feer was now on Keera's interceptor, on her way to Oridanna. The girl could no longer stay aboard the Wisdom; it would have been awkward to say the least. Had Synestra Feer sensed her daughter's presence, the game could have been over before it had begun. Fortunately, she had had time to make sure that did not happen. Rink had obeyed without question, and Ro Wilkes was hers, he may not have realized it yet, but he was.

His history with her had become a leash, she welcomed the chance to pull it and bring her handsome little dog to heel.

He would find the experience…pleasurable, she was sure.

_And what of Fenn_, Her conscience chided.

Keera did her best to ignore it.

Fenn **was** her future, but that did not mean that she should not enjoy the present.

Ro was _**here**_, and he was willing, she could sense it. She could sense it even without the Force.

Why should she not enjoy herself?

Again she felt a fresh wave of annoyance, angry that the two of them had not been able to…indulge themselves.

No matter, they would have the chance soon enough.

She simply had to be patient.

It would be worth it, when the time finally came.

The thought of Ro, and the chance to be with him lightened her mood, somewhat, enough to stay focused on what needed to be done.

Synestra Feer still needed to be dealt with. She was about to become a valuable piece on Avaryss' dejarik board.

In short, her pawn needed to be placed.

Keera's plan was just starting to take shape, and Synestra Feer had a role to play. The lady might not realize it, but she was about to help her husband's apprentice destroy the system he had worked so hard to build on Oridanna. She would never have done so willingly, of course, but that wasn't a problem.

Synestra was many things, predictable chief among them.

Keera could, and would, use that.

The lady would play her part well, provided everything went as Keera hoped.

The shuttle drew closer, its wings folding up as it prepped for landing. At Keera's side stood Bleez, Glasc, and Necris, she could sense the nervous energy that this visit brought with it. Glasc was eager to please his lady, his cousin; he no doubt hoped that she would inform her husband of his good service. She would be surprised if the man did not try to hump Synestra's leg.

She almost sighed.

What did she expect? He was a lapdog, and once a lapdog, always a lapdog.

Still it would not save him.

Glasc would serve his purpose when the time came.

Bleez was likely thinking about House Avaryss, how having the lady here might jeopardize their plans.

That was the trooper's job, as a Sith War Master, the concern for the house was paramount, something that Keera was extremely grateful for, just as Avy had been…

It was good to know she had a staunch ally on her side.

Necris was…something else, all together.

Keera glanced over at the Devish, who gave her a toothy smile in response.

She was not sure what to make of it, or what she was sensing through the Force.

Necris' power, it had grown, she was much stronger than she had been when Avy had first sent her off to war.

Keera was not sure that she liked that.

Necromancy was one of the more _unnatural _abilities that the dark side offered. Keera's powers could kill, but what Necris did was something entirely different. Keera took life, and could revel in the destruction as life passed into her. Necris fed on death, and considering how much death the war was causing, her apprentice had likely been gorging herself.

How much of that energy was now contained within the girl's body, she truly could not say. Both Keera and Avy were well aware of their limits when it came to life energy, but the energies gained from dead things; that was something she was not familiar with.

Necris could have probably told her, but she was no longer sure that she could trust her apprentice's words. Deception was a natural part of the dark side.

Necris had finally embraced that, Keera would have been pleased; if it did not make her so concerned.

The dark lord could not guess how strong the Devish girl was now, what she was sensing might have been the barest inkling of Necris' true potential.

The thought made her pause.

If Necris was strong and skilled enough now to hide her true powers from her master, then perhaps their relationship needed to be re-evaluated. The master and apprentice relationship was always adversarial, that was what kept the Sith strong.

_Beware your master._

_Beware your apprentice._

Those words were not simply a guideline for the training of young Sith, but a _**warning**_ as well.

Keera would complete Necris' training, but at the same time she needed to be careful. House Avaryss was hers; she intended to live long enough to pass it on to one of her future children, the next Lord Avaryss, on the day that one of them grew strong enough to replace her. An apprentice, though useful, was a threat to that plan. Keera did not doubt in the least that Necris would try to kill her at the first hint of weakness, the girl had been nursing a hatred towards her since Avy had first intervened in her life several years ago, when she had manipulated the Devish into helping her destroy a Jedi Enclave. Necris no longer cared that those Jedi had died, but that her master had manipulated, and used her, on that point, she cared very much.

It fueled the girl's hatred, it made her strong.

Keera was actually quite proud, considering how limited Necris had been in the beginning.

The girl had come a long way.

Their relationship was now a lethal dance. It was a dance that would end the very moment that Necris believed that she had learned everything that her master had to teach.

On that day, Necris would not hesitate, and nor should she.

The way of the Sith was quite clear.

The strong deserved to survive and rule, the weak…perished.

Necris was the failsafe, a failsafe that had been built into the Sith since its inception. If Keera was too weak to lead and defend their house, a new leader was needed. Xen did not seem interested in the job, too busy chasing after Beric; and Dym was far too new. The Muun had yet to find his true footing among her servants.

Necris, however…Necris was hungry, Keera could sense it.

She needed to watch her back.

Necris was unsurprisingly evasive when Keera asked her how she had found them on Nar Shadda. The girl replied that she had felt her master's summons through the Force months ago, but had had no way to contact her, she had been inside Republic space at the time and had no access to a hyper-comm. As a result, she had simply gone searching; she had needed, and used, the Force's guidance to track her master down. That journey had led to Nar Shadda and to Thranton Rink. Necris had apparently sensed when her master had arrived, and rather than spend time searching the moon, simply chosen to await aboard their ship.

It was a likely story, and did have the ring of truthfulness, but Keera was not fool enough to think it was _**entirely**_ the truth.

_Her finding me was impressive, and showed how far she had come, but that…that was not all…_

The fact that the girl had breached her private quarters so easily was proof of her power. Such a brazen move both angered and concerned the dark lord.

What if Necris had waited until she was asleep? What if Keera had awakened with a lightsaber through her heart?

What if Necris poisoned the drinks in her master's room? Would Keera have sensed what was happening before it was too late?

All viable concerns, concerns that she would need to address.

The locking mechanisms in her private quarters would need to be strengthened, not just with a new Force assisted lock, but perhaps a genetic scanner as well; something to prevent her apprentice from taking advantage of a minute flaw in her defenses. She would speak with Holli about it later, for now she still had business to attend to.

She would handle the Necris situation later, after Synestra Feer had been dealt with.

The plan came first, and the lady's role in it needed to be set in motion.

It was the first step to true victory…

…A victory that would be the first step to something more.

Once she had full control of Oridanna's food supply and medical production, she would have the Empire by the throat.

Then…all she would need was to get rid of her master.

She looked forward to that.

The shuttle made its final turn and settled onto the Wisdom's hangar deck. The side portal in the Sith shuttled hissed with steam, as the hydraulics opened and lowered the boarding ramp.

Around her, Keera's servants dropped to one knee and bowed their heads respectfully. They were all loyal imperials, after all, showing respect to a member of the Sith Order.

Keera smiled.

She did not bow, or kneel; this was **her** ship after all. HERS.

She had promised herself long ago that she would never again kneel to Synestra Feer, and she had meant it. Once the lady had tried to convince the dark council to have her, or rather Avy, declared a rogue Sith and killed.

Neither Avy nor Keera had forgotten that, that and the fact that Darth Marr had granted them a rank over the lady, far-far over.

I'm a Lord of the Sith, she thought.

I'm a Darth, death itself.

_I do not answer to my master's bed warmer._

Lady Synestra Feer emerged from the shuttle, her long red hair flowing down past her shoulders, her green eyes flashing with barely controlled anger and disdain. Her fine crimson robes glittered with gold trim and rubies, a sign of the wealth that House Feer had come to enjoy since its lord had ascended to the dark council.

The lady glanced around the hangar, taking notice of the small twelve trooper honor guard that had been assembled to greet her, that and Keera and her allies, waiting at the foot of the ramp.

"Lady Synestra," Keera called out to her, "Welcome aboard _the Emperor's Wisdom_, and to the Itae system."

She put on her most venomous smile.

"We have been expecting you."

Synestra barely acknowledged her. She looked dismissively at Bleez and Necris, both were nothing in the arrogant lady's eyes. A mundane trooper and a piece of alien trash that Avaryss had decided to elevate.

Keera did nothing to dispel that way of thinking.

Underestimating an enemy could be dangerous.

She was perfectly happy to let the woman fall into that trap.

"Cousin," she called out to Colonel Glasc.

"It has been far too long."

"Welcome Synestra," the man said grinning up at her, "Your presence here has lightened the darkness of this war."

"Hm," the lady said, she smiled slightly, motioning for him to rise, the others followed suit, but the lady of House Feer still ignored them.

_As you should, my lady_, Keera thought.

_As you should. _

The lady's eyes finally fell on her husband's apprentice; to say her gaze was cold was an understatement.

She sniffed with contempt.

"You look different," she said with a harsh edge in her voice.

Keera bowed her head slightly.

"I do? How so?"

Synestra sneered.

"You look flushed, girl. Have you been sick?"

"Not at all."

"Are you certain? Normally, you wear a mask?"

True, but this time she had not had a choice.

Keera's mask had been damaged on Nar Shadda, it was currently being repaired by the Wisdom's armorer, and as a result she had chosen to wear a hooded cloak for this meeting. The heavy zeyd cloth hood hid much of her face; only her chin and part of her nose was visible.

Unfortunately, that was enough.

Synestra could see the healthy glow of Keera's skin; she might even have been able to see the freckles on her nose.

The dark lord almost laughed at the irony.

The Empire was the only place where having color in your cheeks was a sign of weakness. Emperor knew; Avy had considered it as such. Why else would she have worn her mask and helmet for so long?

Synestra Feer was not as pale as most Sith, but that was because she did not actively use the dark side as much as some of their peers. Keera, as an active Sith warrior, should have had skin the color of polished bone.

The fact that she did not…?

It was a bit of a mystery, but not an important one at this time.

"The result of an alchemical experiment, my lady," she lied, lifting her hood up slightly.

"As you can see, the results are not unpleasant.

Synestra snorted, even if she agreed she would not say anything.

Such was her dislike for her husband's apprentice.

"And what about this welcome, is something wrong with your knee, girl?' she asked coldly, "Some war injury that I did not hear about? For surely that is the only reason that you would not show the proper respect to the Lady of your house?"

Keera never stopped smiling. The slight flicker of anger held in check by her will.

_I will never kneel to you, shutta_, she thought.

_Never!_

She outranked the witch now, she would make damn sure the other Sith knew it.

How little the woman understood.

"I'm an ally of House Feer, my lady; that is true. However, I am also…_a Darth_, and a Darth bends the knee only to the Emperor, and the dark council, in that order."

Keera's smile turned predatory.

"Sadly, you hold _**neither**_ of those titles. Of course, if it makes you feel better…"

Keera executed a small disrespectful curtsey

"Welcome aboard, my lady."

If Synestra was angered by her insolence, she did not show it, she simply held onto that cold and haughty look.

She sighed.

"Same old Avaryss, I see," she said shaking her head.

Keera only just stifled a giggle.

_Oh no, my lady_, she thought with much amusement.

_I'm a far __**better**__ one._

_**Far**__ better!_

The thought almost made her laugh.

_Oh Avy, you were so limited._

_I almost pity you now…almost._

IOI

Once Keera's only motivation had been killing Darth Feer and avenging her family. That motivation had caused her to rebel against Avy in the first place, but that was no longer her only goal. In the months since and Avy had been fighting for dominance she had developed a…appetite for power. After finally replacing her other half, she was now free to indulge that appetite. She was also starting to understand why Avy had done what she had done over the years, but now…recognized that poor Avy had been thinking too small, she had not been willing to take that next step, to truly revel in the power that the dark side had offered her.

Keera was not so limited.

She intended to indulge her desires.

Every. Single. One.

Destroying that district on Nar Shadda, and wiping out those cultists in Shadowtown, those actions had only fueled that hunger, that desire to drink deeper and deeper from the well that was the dark side. She was eager to apply her new philosophy to Oridanna, to wipe out the old guard, and install a new one in its place.

There would be casualties of course, she could not help that. Thousands of her people would likely die if her plan succeeded, perhaps maybe a million or more, but the end result would be worth it. In the end, she would save billions, future generations of Oridanna citizens would be able to look back and see that their rise to greatness began with the actions of Keera and her allies.

They would know that they played a valuable part in the future; that the simple farm girl that had left them had risen to the height of Imperial power.

She would make a paradise of Oridanna, and then, everyone would be forced to acknowledge that she was right!

The sacrifices they had made would be worth it!

Keera would not wait for Darth Feer's schemes to play out. She would not wait to kill him after he had done all the heavy lifting. Once her success here on Oridanna was assured, she would go before her fellow members of the Cabal, she would convince Darth Marr and the others that the throne should not sit vacant, that they needed someone to sit on it, a figure-head loyal to the ideals of the Cabal.

Who better than _**she**_ to fill that role, the Hero of the Inferno Nebula, the Lord of the Itae and the Zahn systems, the master of the Imperial bread-basket worlds?

Who better than Darth Avaryss, who was in truth Keera Lylos, Andur and Mya Lylos' daughter?

Who better?

Marr would be skeptical, but she would win him over, she would play the good little Sith, for a while, but when the time was right, she would be ready.

She would strike, and it would be without pity or mercy.

The Empire would never know what hit it!

She would take a page out of the book of the legendary Marka Ragnos; she would play the Cabal and the Dark Council against each other. It would not be hard, the Cabal had made a point of knowing the weaknesses of the council, and the council would learn through her the weaknesses in the Cabal.

The figure-head would not be content to be a figure-head. No one gave you a crown, you earned it; you bought it with blood and steel.

Keera would pay for her crown with the blood of her enemies.

She hoped that Marr would see sense when the time came, that he would realize that an alliance with her was better than death. She respected him a great deal; she had no desire to kill him.

In the end, he would bend the knee to the heir of Darth Hecaetus, and through kneeling, the old Sith would finally be avenged, and then…then she would be able to turn her attention to the Republic, her _**full **_attention.

The thought made her smile.

The Jedi Order would be properly dealt with this time. No chance to fall back to a new world, no escape. She would slay those that were a threat to her power. Vey Ilo, Shyra Viel, Jas Dar Bynn, they would all die beneath imperial blades. Satele Shan, she would kill that cow herself, she would rip out the Jedi Master's heart, and eat it while it still beat. She would keep some of the younglings alive, they would make good Sith, the anger at what the Sith did to their precious order would fuel their power.

And what of Fenn?

The unspoken question stopped her cold.

Indeed.

What of Fenn Shadowstone?

He would not betray her; she did not think him able. She would use his desire to save her to bring him over. Maybe she would even be able to convince him that he could check her ambitions if they were together.

Yes, she thought.

Yes.

She liked the idea of that.

He would try to save her, and in the attempt…he would fall.

He would come to the dark side.

He would come to her, his Empress.

His love.

They would finally be unified, and together, they would be complete!

He would stand at her side, and share her bed. He would give her the heirs she desired; he would be the father of her children, a new dynasty of Sith Emperors.

It would be a line that would ensure that Keera and her progeny would rule for the next thousand years!

It would be glorious!

She suddenly had a vision of him, her beloved Fenn, his face, a look of concern and worry there.

It only amused her further.

If Fenn were to hear her plans, he would have likely been horrified, afraid that she was falling, that she had completely been seduced by the dark side, all over again.

That thought was quite funny.

Despite what Fenn thought, she had **always **known of the superiority of the dark side. She did not need to claim that she was a different person to acknowledge that.

Avy was a fool.

She should have never existed in the first place.

Keera was in command now.

Keera would not be denied.

"You are smiling girl,' Synestra Feer said coldly.

"What is it that is so amusing?"

She found herself once again standing on the deck of her destroyer. Lady Synestra stood before her, while Keera's underlings stood at their side.

"It is nothing, my lady," she assured her guest, her new pawn.

"I'm merely honored to have you here."

Synestra sniffed and stepped past her, Keera fell in beside her, the two women walking towards the turbolift that would take her master's wife to her guest quarters.

Keera did not let her go alone.

The two of them had much to talk about.

"How is my son?" Synestra asked as they passed the various guards and technicians.

"Is he well?"

"I must confess that I have not had many dealings with him since I've arrived, my lady," Keera said innocently.

"Darth Sadi keeps him quite busy, or so I believe."

"Busy," the older woman said, her expression was neutral, her emotions anything but…

"Busy? Busy how?"

Keera smirked.

She could sense the worry in the woman, as always she was so predictable.

Perfect.

Delicious!

Her concern, it was fertile ground, just waiting for the right seeds to be planted.

The seeds of destruction.

And so, it begins, she thought.

The conquests of Keera Lylos was about to begin.


	35. Plots and Plans

**Chapter 35: Plots and Plans**

_On the day of my coup I will finally wipe that smirk off your face. I will shatter that pretty little nose, and watch the blood flow. I will end that sly smile of your when I smash those perfect white teeth to splinters._

Keera smiled, the image of turning Darth Sadi's face to mush was all she needed to continue this charade.

_She can have no idea,_ the young dark lord thought, _not until I'm ready, but when I am…_

Her smile brightened.

_When I'm ready that is when the fun will truly begin._

She had been here for almost an hour, inside the Dark Lord's quarters. It was a risk coming here, if she miscalculated about the limits of Sadi's power, she would have been in trouble.

So far, it did not seem to be a problem.

So far, she was staying strong.

Darth Sadi smiled across the table from her, the Lord of the Itae system was quite pleased with herself, but then again how could she not be?

She just got an ally close to Synestra Feer, or at least, that is what Keera **wanted **her to believe.

The thought was quite amusing.

Sadi and Synestra were both dangerous foes, but they were also predictable in their desires. Keera was fairly sure that she understood those desires.

It would make things far easier to control what was to come.

The servants brought the food. Once again the two women were dining. Darth Sadi preferred to hear reports over meals, apparently.

Keera understood why, if someone was focused on the food and the wine, they were less likely to feel the dark lord's power worming their way into their thoughts, their desires.

It was a cunning move to be sure.

Through the Force, Keera could feel the dark lord's power and charisma reaching out. She could sense the tendrils of dark side energy trying to slip through her defenses and begin rewriting her mind. Avaryss had nearly fallen into that trap their first day here. Fortunately, for her, Keera had protected them, just as she was protecting herself now.

She imagined a shield around her body, a glowing red aura born from anger and hate. She could still sense what Sadi was trying to do, but it was not effective, her powers could not breach Keera's shield. Those tendrils burned away before they even got close.

_Her powers are subtle_, Keera thought, _she likely needs to be in close proximity, with her target distracted, or open to her influence._ At least, that was the conclusion she was drawing from what she had faced so far, all she knew was that at that moment, her mind was still her own. Sadi was trying to get inside her head, but so far, she was unsuccessful.

Still she did not dare lower her defenses. Her mind, her body had felt that power once, part of her craved it, wanted to bask in its glow again.

It is like a drug, the more you take, the more you want. The effects were subtle, she suspected, one day you woke up and you completely belonged to Sadi; your every whim measured against her desires.

Keera would not give in, her anger burned to brightly to ever risk allowing herself to taste what the other woman had to offer.

_My mind is my own, my power and control serve me, and no one else._

_I will not be subjugated to another's will._

If Sadi sensed what she was doing, she did not show it. The woman remained smiling, the image of the perfect host. Bael was around here somewhere, watching, awaiting his master's whim.

Synestra would not like that; she would not like the idea that her son had become his master's willing pet.

The idea amused Keera, and it would be very useful for the next stage of her plan.

She could not afford to have Sadi win Synestra over, or take control of her mind. Keera needed Synestra free and causing trouble for her rival. The woman excelled in sabotaging plans, Avaryss had felt that during her attempts to end the Rogue Jedi conspiracy.

Now she, Keera, had to harness Synestra Feer's distrust and anger, yoke it to her ambitions.

It would make things easier, at least until the rebellion had been crushed, and then…Keera would deal with them both.

Her host, of course, knew nothing of this. She assumed that everything was going as it needed, as she needed it to go.

Keera would enjoy teaching her the error of thinking like that.

She would enjoy it…immensely.

"I'm so glad you chose to join me for dinner, Inquisitor," Darth Sadi purred, the violet aura around her glowing brighter. Her power again tried to breach Keera's shield, tried and failed.

"After our last meal, I feared that we had gotten off on the wrong foot."

Sadi grinned brightly.

"I do hope that there are no problems between us."

Keera laughed dismissively, but on the inside, she was seething.

She _**hated **_this vain fool's attempt to dominate her mind. She longed for the chance to show the other woman her full displeasure, to show her what happened when you tried to manipulate a Darth.

It would be fun, but counterproductive, Sadi still holds great power here.

She needed to deal with that, strip that power away, before she could make any real moves.

"There are no problems between us, my lord," Keera lied, "I was simply…left in _awe_ after our last meeting."

She smiled innocently, shyly.

"I can certainly see why my master chose you for this post. As always, his wisdom has been proven correct."

Keera laughed lightly.

"He could not have chosen a better representative for our empire."

Sadi took her compliment in stride; she practically beamed, drinking in Keera's praise.

As you should, fool, Keera thought…

…As you should.

"You flatter me, inquisitor," Sadi said, still radiating with pride, "I'm sure we can bring all this trouble to a close, we shall make a great team, you and I. We will end this threat as fellow lords, and in the process I hope that we can become _**more **_than simply allies."

The woman leaned in closer, as if seeking to bring Keera into her confidence.

"I do so hope that you will one day consider me "a friend." We have so much in common after all."

Keera could have given a gushing response, but decided to be more cautious. Sadi was no fool, if Keera made this too easy, she might suspect something.

_It is time to rattle the chain a bit,_ she thought.

_Let us see how the lord reacts._

"I'm afraid it is too late for that," Keera said in a dreamy far away voice.

"Really," Sadi said with a pout. Through the Force, Keera could sense a rising tension, for a brief moment, she sensed doubt in the Lord of the Itae system. The woman reached out with the Force, probing her guest.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Keera giggled like an innocent peasant girl.

_Now…to put her at ease._

"We are _**already**_ friends, silly," she lied, "I would do anything for you."

The slight tension in Sadi's shoulders relaxed.

Keera had told her exactly what she wanted to hear.

_Easy_, she thought to herself...

…_Far __**too**__ easy._

"I'm so pleased to hear that, my lord," her host said, once again slipping back into a more relaxed role.

"I'm so glad that I can count on you."

Keera smiled broadly.

This was the second time in the last few days another Sith had said those words to her. Synestra believed her to be an ally too.

_So much the better_, Keera thought...

…In time, both women would learn the truth.

Then they would see what type of Sith she was.

IOI

Back on _the Emperor's Wisdom_, she had asked to speak with Synestra Feer alone. She thought it prudent to give her master's wife an update on how things were going on Oridanna, and to put her mind at ease about her son, or so, Keera had said.

In truth, she wanted the exact opposite.

Synestra was already cold and arrogant, and extremely protective of her little boy, even more so now that she believed her daughter dead.

Cynn Feer was now Keera's wild card; she had several possible ways to bring the girl into her plans, ways that would make things…interesting for the Feers.

She would use the girl as soon as the time was right, she would take advantage of Synestra's arrogance and cruelty, but first, she needed to bring the mother into her confidence.

It was the first step on the road to destroying her.

Synestra has been skeptical, at first, and why not? She and her husband's apprentice had never been on good terms.

Still, that served her purpose; the fact that they weren't friendly sold the story even more.

"Why would you be concerned about Bael's welfare?" the woman had asked, "You do not like him. You told me once that you desire to kill him."

She did not deny it, to do so would be pointless.

"My desire is to fulfil the Sith imperative, my lady," Keera had replied honestly, "I seek to advance, and see all my rivals dealt with. Your son has the potential to be a very skilled rival."

Keera shrugged.

"It was in my best interest to deal with him. However, a new threat has emerged, one that threatens both him and me."

She shook her head.

"I will not allow this threat to grow into something worse. Bael and I are _**both**_ at risk, which means we have a common enemy."

Keera grinned.

"I'm sure you can understand that?"

Synestra nodded, and began to pace. Keera had not lied to her, but she had embellished her so-called _respect_ for Bael Feer.

_A necessary fiction_, she thought, _the woman thinks too highly of her son's abilities._

Keera was willing to feed that opinion, for now.

It would make things far easier later.

"You believe that Sadi is _controlling _Bael, or at least _manipulating_ him?"

"He would not be the first young Sith that fell under the spell of a charismatic master. As for the control aspect, I felt…something when in Darth Sadi's presence. I think it may have been akin to battle meditation, but is far more subtle."

She shrugged again.

"If the woman would dare to try and control me, I can imagine that she has tried to do so to young Bael as well. If she was to gain control of my master's son…?"

Synestra turned angrily.

"My son would never fall so easily," she hissed, "You are overestimating Darth Sadi. She would never risk angering my husband."

"If Bael does fall under her control, then all Lord Sadi would have to do was wait,' Keera reminded her.

The young dark lord sighed.

"My master's plans approach fruition. Clearly, you must know that? Bael is the heir to our house. If Lord Feer was to be…removed, who would benefit the most from that? If Sadi controls Bael, all that My Master has won will pass to his son, and through him, to Sadi."

Keera's expression turned cruel.

"Who could resist such an opportunity? The possible reward would certainly outweigh the risk.

Synestra shook her head, not accepting Keera's appraisal of the situation.

"My son was born of two powerful Sith. He would not be as easily manipulated as you."

Keera took the insult in stride, but filed it away with so many others. She held her temper in check.

On the day that she finally settled all accounts with the rulers' of House Feer, she would see every one of those slights paid for, with interest, compounded in flesh and blood.

She eagerly awaited that day.

She could feel Synestra's anger, it burned like a furnace, but at the same time, she could sense the woman's doubt, her worry.

She suspected that Synestra hoped to hold onto her power in House Feer when Bael became Lord. She had always kept the boy close, and had been most unhappy that he had been taken in by a new master after Korriban. Bael was her path to power; a path that now was open to Darth Sadi. Synestra could not allow that. The thought that another Sith would take that from her.

It was enough to plant the seeds of dissent.

It was exactly as Keera had intended.

"I will speak with my husband," she said, "He will remove Sadi from her post, remove Bael from her teachings."

"I fear that will not be enough, my lady," Keera said, "And besides, with the war raging, your husband may not be so inclined to remove the lord that he put in charge of his holdings. Who would he get to replace her?"

"Bael is more than capable," the elder Sith answered, "And with my guidance, he would be even more so."

Again Keera let the insult go, as a Darth, and Feer's first apprentice, any of his holdings should have passed to her, but she did not push the issue, now was not the time.

"As capable as the young master is, we should make sure that he is ready, that he is protected from his master's machinations."

Synestra glared at her.

"I take it you have a plan?"

"I do," Keera said with a smirk.

She had thought the woman would never ask.

Now, she thought, she had laid the ground work. Synestra had been hooked.

Now it was time to ensnare her.

"I will watch over Bael for you, and draw Sadi's attention. She knows of my position within House Feer. I can use that to our advantage."

The Lady of House Feer sneered at her.

"Our?" she asked.

"Of course, I will play the role of the eager apprentice, _**eager**_ to usurp my master. I will draw Sadi in; get her to take me into her confidence."

She sensed the shift in her master's wife, she was considering what Keera was saying, and she was not displeased by it.

"Get her to forget about my son," Synestra said nodding, "She will see you as a far more valuable pawn."

"Which will give _**you**_ more time to reach, Bael, my lady, remind him of what truly matters, our house, his lordship. I can hold off Sadi's advances, make her think her position is more secure than it truly is."

Keera's smile turned predatory.

"As her confidence grows, so will her ambitions. She will try to make more provocative moves."

"Moves that we can bring to my husband," Synestra said smiling, "We can hang Sadi with her own rope, and protect the future of _**our**_ house."

"Exactly," Keera said bowing slightly.

"I can see where Bael gets his brilliance from."

Synestra smirked then, accepting the compliment, but that did not completely kill her suspicion.

"Why would you do this? Why would you help me?"

Keera laughed at that.

"You do not trust me, good. I'm only out for myself. My master will be most pleased when I save his heir."

Synestra nodded, accepting that answer. It was not even a lie.

Her actions would help Bael and Synestra.

Help them to fall onto her lightsaber.

The thought excited Keera.

She welcomed that day, those deaths.

They would be delicious, and part of her greater plan for Oridanna.

House Feer would be among the many casualties on Oridanna, and Keera and House Avaryss would be there to pick up the pieces.

The people would be so grateful.

Synestra finally nodded, she rose and held out her hand.

She was not completely sold, but it was enough to get the ball rolling. Keera would still need to be careful, playing both sides against the middle was dangerous, but it could be done if one was both quick and clever.

Keera Lylos…just happened to be both.

"I'm so pleased that you have finally learned your place, girl," Synestra said, "Having been gifted a lordship has made you wiser than I could have ever hoped."

Keera bowed her head respectfully.

"You honor me, my lady."

"I shall," the lady replied, "Once my son is safe."

Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"It is good that I can count on you."

Keera smiled brightly.

"Don't worry," she said.

"You can."

IOI

"Synestra Feer has come here to see you removed from power," Keera said dreamily, "She has asked me to aid her."

Her words made the Lord of the Itae system frown.

"She told you this, did she?" Sadi said taking a sip from her wine glass.

Keera nodded.

"She thinks that my loyalty is to her house. I'm my master's apprentice after all."

Sadi giggled at that.

"You are apparently not as loyal as she believes."

Keera shrugged.

"My master put you in charge of Oridanna; it is my duty to make sure you are safe, to protect you."

Sadi's smile widened.

"And that is why we are friends," she said "We understand what is best for the Empire."

"Yes," Keera said as she looked upon Darth Sadi, the dark lord was flaring like a star, dark side energy swirling around her like a spider's web.

Those webs did not ensnare Keera; she burned them away with her anger.

So strange, she thought.

Avy had always thought her the weak one, the one drawn to the light.

She had certainly moved beyond such weakness.

It was the light that had allowed her to return. Fenn and Beric had brought her back; their love for Keera, the shard of light that still connected her to Fenn Shadowstone had held her in this world, kept her from vanishing within Avaryss.

That connection was still there, but Keera no longer needed it to survive. The fact that Fenn had stepped away from their connection proved that.

She did not need the light.

She knew where true power lay.

Avy was gone, and in her absence there was now a power vacuum. It was a vacuum that she had happily filled.

She still loved her family, and that kept her connected to the light, but it held no real sway over her, not when there was real power to be had.

The light was nothing but a tool; it would draw Fenn into her bed when the time came. It was the darkness that Keera preferred. It was the dark side that excited her enticed her.

She would never let it go.

She had come too far to stop now.

Sadi frowned, that cute pouty frown that made her allies want to rush to her side, to desire to see her smile again.

"I had hoped to win Lady Synestra over to my side," she confessed, "She has always supported Bael's advancement. I had hoped that she would see that my teachings serve him best, but…if what you say is true, if she resists me out of some stubborn desire to hold onto her power. I will need to step in; nothing must interfere with his training."

Sadi shook her head. She likely suspected that something like this would happen one day.

She looked at Keera focusing her power on her again.

"I will need you to do something for me, my friend."

"Of course," Keera answered.

"Anything for you, you know that."

Sadi smirked, more than pleased with the other girl's answer.

The woman was really quite predictable.

It was almost too easy.

_She is too confident in her powers_, Keera suspected; _she likely had been using them to get what she wanted for years. By now, she thought that no one could resist her._

That confidence would be her undoing.

"I would like you to keep an eye on Synestra Feer for me. Keep me informed of what she is doing. I will need you to tell me who she is meeting with, what they say, and if they pose a threat to our master's rule."

"Sounds simple enough," Keera said, "She will be skeptical of me, of course, but…"

"No, buts," Sadi said quickly, "We shall offer up proof that you are what you say you are, pawns that are no longer any use to me. I will continue to try and win her support, but if I cannot, than the matter will likely fall to you Inquisitor, I'm sure you can handle it."

"I will do whatever you need me to do," the younger Sith assured her.

"Good," Sadi said nodding, "And if you come across any evidence that the woman is working against me and the Empire's interest, you know what to do."

"I believe so," Keera said with a sly grin.

"Accidents happen, all the time."

Sadi laughed.

"Yes, they do," she agreed.

"And sometimes, they can be fatal."

Keera said nothing to that, this conversation was incriminating enough.

She played her part, but was mindful.

As Darth Sadi said, accidents did happen.

Now that the matter with Synestra had been dealt with, their conversation turned to more official business.

The rebels had not been idle during Keera's adventures on Nar Shadda.

There had been several major attacks since the battle over Pholis.

It now fell to Keera to deal with them.

All four attacks had been military targets; the rebels were smart enough not to endanger their support of the people, at least, not yet.

A Sith walker had been destroyed in Orid, it had been undergoing repairs when someone threw an explosive device inside, the vehicle was destroyed, with several of the mechanics suffering injuries.

Keera had assigned Raze and Ghull to deal with it, the brothers would get to the bottom of what had happened interrogations were already going on in Orid; she expected a report by morning.

The second attack had been at one of the local spaceports, the one reserved for the loading of food stuffs. The shuttle used by the officer in charge of the port had been bombed, or rather a bomb had been planted aboard. The explosive had malfunctioned, meaning that no one had been hurt.

Keera dispatched Xen and Dym to bring the device back to her here in the Citadel; she could have used one of the two other enforcers, but instead wanted her own people to handle this.

That device might just give her a clue of just how well armed and organized these rebels were. She was most eager to let Holli and members of science section on the Wisdom examine it.

The third attack had been another roadside ambush. Four young officers had been visiting one of the smaller settlements when they had been fired upon by rebel snipers, killing one, and injuring the others.

There was no reason that those officers should have been out there, they had had no orders. Keera suspected that they had been…enjoying some of the local pleasures when they were attacked.

Her enforcers would find out the truth, one way, or the other.

She left that investigation in the hands of Gnar and Chylde, the Twi'lek and the hound master would hopefully find something that a traditional Sith investigation team might miss. Gnar's beasts would sniff out things that a scanning droid might miss, and Chylde would be there to handle any interrogations. The girl did not see such a job as work, she enjoyed it, even called it play time.

Keera was most eager to see what they found out.

That left only the fourth attack to deal with, this one she had dealt with personally. The reason for this was because the attack was…familiar to say the least.

She hated to admit it, but the attack had left her…shaken, she had almost cancelled her meal with Darth Sadi because of it.

The dark lord was understandably curious about what she had seen. Keera endeavored to answer her questions, without giving up too much personal information.

She had wondered if the rebels would respond to her directly, after Pholis and Nar Shadda.

She had expected a response, but not like that.

She would never have expected a response like that.

The rebels had destroyed a small farm house near Worro. Of course, it had not been an actual farm house in some time. Imperial intelligence had moved a small crew in shortly after Darth Feer had taken power, they had been using the little farm monitor civilian communications, make sure that no problems arose,

In this, those agents had failed, the rebels had managed to breach their defenses and get the drop on them. They killed all but two of the Imperials inside, but not before leaving a message for Darth Avaryss.

A message that Keera recognized, and was only further enraged when she saw it.

Damn them, she thought when she had seen it.

Damn them all to hell!

"You seem troubled by what you saw, my friend, I can sense it" Sadi said.

She reached out and touched Keera's hand.

"Tell me about it. I will see what I can do to help."

Keera smiled, but inside she was seething.

She had no desire to talk about this, but had been prepared to give the lord only the most basic of facts about the raid.

She could offer no weakness before, Sadi. It would be a mistake to do so.

"They disabled the alarms somehow," Keera began, "Caught the crew asleep at their post."

She shook her head.

"If they were not all dead, I would have executed them for their stupidity."

"Understandable," the dark lord agreed, "How did it happen?"

Keera sighed.

"As I said they caught them asleep. The rebels sealed the agents in their individual quarters, locked down the doors and scrambled the locks. They then rigged each door with a military grade detonator. When they were safely out side, they detonated the bombs destroying both the listening post, and killing all inside."

"Brutal," Sadi said with a nod, "But quite effective."

Keera nodded back.

Sadi did not know the half of it, and she intended for it to stay that way.

What had happened was…personal.

It had been both personal and declaration of war.

She would not let Sadi know that.

IOI

The execution of the raid was not only brutal, but very familiar to her. As was what happened to the two agents that had been taken outside before the bombs had detonated.

It was they that delivered the message.

Keera had been caught off guard, to say the least.

She and her people had arrived to find the farm in flames, smoke rising from the sunken courtyard.

She had gone herself with only two bodyguards; bodyguards that understood discretion. Runt and Mess were smart enough to not speak about what they had seen, especially after Keera had finished debriefing the survivors.

They knew what would happen if they did not.

The two survivors had been the outpost's commander and his aid, a young woman with blonde hair. The two had been…together when the attack had come, the rebels had dragged them out of their bed and left them tied up outside, had not even given them a chance to dress.

"We were blind folded and gagged, my lord," the officer in charge informed her, "It all happened so fast, we did not have a chance to respond."

"So I see," Keera said with distaste, she looked at the destruction and shook her head.

The scene was quite familiar.

The farm house was built in the same style of the Lylos family farm. Its destruction had happened in an almost identical fashion. The people sealed within, the explosive charges, the two people being dragged outside.

Keera had been understandably shaken.

"Did they say anything to you," she asked the two survivors.

"Did they give you any clue of who they were?"

"Yes, my lord, one of them spoke, a man," the female aid said, the girl was dressed in her nightgown, and was clearly embarrassed to be so.

Sith military doctrine frowned on relationships between an officer and his subordinate, the girl likely thought her career was in jeopardy, that she would be court-martialed.

A court-martial was, of course, the least of her worries.

"What did they say?" she demanded.

The girl hesitated.

"Speak up girl, what did the rebel say?"

"It made no sense, my lord."

"Tell me anyway, what was said?"

The girl winced.

"The man that spoke, he was wearing a voice changer, but he told us to give you this message personally, and only to you."

"And that message is?"

The girl shook her head.

"He said to tell you: I love you Blossom, and that Tahl Moritza says hello."

Keera's eyes widened.

_Tahl Moritza says hello._

_I love you Blossom?_

_**I love you Blossom!**_

Moritza, she thought.

**MORITZA!**

**ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!**

She lost control after that.

She beheaded both survivors, and used the Force to toss their bodies back into the burning farm, but even then she was not satisfied. She had ordered her guards to make sure that there was nothing left, Runt and Mess tossed in a two full belts of grenades.

Any trace of the listening post had been erased in seconds.

She stood before the fire, watching it burn.

It wasn't possible, she thought.

It was impossible.

No one but she had survived that night.

Only she had heard her father's final words to her.

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Somehow, Moritza had found out, found out and used those words to send a message.

Keera's fingers tightened into fists, fists so tight that the servos in her left arm whirred, and blood flowed between the fingers of her right hand.

She stared into the flames, thinking about the hologram she had gotten on Nar Shadda, the helmeted head of Tahl Moritza, the rebel's robed frame.

Her fury burned hotter than the fires below.

You wanted to send me a message scum, she thought, well congratulations.

Message received.

The fires rose higher, and in that moment she imagined the death of Moritza, both his death and the deaths of his allies...

…For that was the only response such a message deserved.

Get ready Moritza, she thought.

I'm coming for you.


	36. Interruption

**Chapter 36: Interruption**

"His name is Tahl Moritza," Keera said coldly, "Your men will **find** him, **hunt **him down, and bring him to me."

"It will be done, my lord," Magistrate Hissa promised her, the hologram flickered making his image shudder slightly.

Or perhaps the man is really shuddering; she thought to herself, by now, word would have gotten back about what had happened at that listening post, about the price of failure.

Keera was not above using such stories to her advantage. A dark lord who was not feared by her troops was no true dark lord. She was not above rewarding her troops, or giving credit where credit was due, but at the same time, she made sure they understood what happened to those who displeased her.

Subtlety had its uses; Beric had taught Avy that on their first visit to Darth Feer's flagship, it was a lesson that Keera took to heart as well. Of course, that did not mean she was above violence when the situation called for it. She was not.

In fact, she thought with a hint of a smile.

She was starting to _**enjoy**_ it.

She had contacted Hissa shortly after she had returned from her meeting with Darth Sadi. She would have done it sooner, but she needed a bath, being around Sadi just made her feel dirty, and not in an exciting way.

She now sat on her bed, changed into her nightgown, the holo image that Hissa saw was a stock image of her in her uniform and mask. It didn't move, but most holograms did not need to.

It was the voice that mattered, not the image.

After what had happened at the farmhouse/listening post, she had been eager to speak with Hissa, make sure that he was aware that their enemy had a name at last.

She wanted to make sure that Moritza's name was known to both the investigators and the interrogation droids. Hissa had all the right connections; he would make sure that the name found its way into the right ears.

_It was the first step in finding the man._

Tahl Moritza was an enemy of the Empire.

She would see him pay for that.

In truth, she was quite eager to see what their investigators turned up, and what was taken from rebel prisoners while under interrogation.

She was quite eager to find out just what the rebels knew about the man, and about his place within the rebellion.

Was he _**their **_leader? Most rebellion were organized around a firebrand, was this Moritza _**that**_ man? Was he just some go-between they used in conducting business? She had no answer to those questions.

The fact that he shared her mother's maiden name was also of interest. Was he related to her, or was the name just an alias, and most importantly.

Keera frowned.

How did the man know what was said the night her family's farm was attacked? The full tale of what happened that night was known to few, and not one shared. It was certainly not a story she shared freely, or with ease.

Yet, somehow, Moritza had known, he had known _**everything!**_

She needed to find out how.

Hissa was currently at the site of the attempted bombing of the shuttle craft, the static of their connection the result of another windstorm moving through the area. The Magistrate thought it wise for him to be there, to assure the locals and business people that all was well. Her enforcers may have been in charge of the investigation, but it was Hissa's people that were collecting the hard evidence, and would be returning with it to Danna City for further study.

She did not entirely trust her enforcers after all, they had belonged to Sadi first, and that made them all suspect.

She preferred that Hissa's people looked at the evidence first; she suspected their findings might be more…truthful than one of the young Sith at her command.

Tomorrow she would go to see Hissa in person, make sure he was aware of how important this matter was to her. She had offered him her patronage after all.

She wanted to see exactly just how useful the man could be, to make sure that he was worthy of that patronage.

"Tahl Moritza," he repeated thoughtfully, "I've never heard that name before. Was this person responsible for the attack on Pholis?"

"He paid the go-between who hired the pirates for that job," she informed him, "I'm not sure what post he holds within this rebellion, but it is safe to say that he is likely highly placed."

She pressed a button on the holo-comm, giving it access to the data disc she had recovered on the smuggler's moon.

"The holo that I'm sending you is the only image we have of Moritza, it isn't much, but perhaps your investigators can give me something more, some clue that might point to his whereabouts.

The image of Hissa held up a small device, the holo she sent him appeared in his hand.

The magistrate frowned.

"Robed, cloaked, and helmeted," he said with a frown, "We can eliminate several known alien species from this picture, but that is about it. This person could be **anyone**. He may not even be an imperial."

Keera only just managed to keep from rolling her eyes.

Hissa was not telling her anything she had not already thought about.

She knew it could be anyone; that was why she was telling the magistrate!

_She wanted his people to __**investigate!**_

_She wanted to figure out WHO was under that mask!_

"We know he has access to large sums of credits, he needed them to hire that pirate gang. He also has access to high level imperial files, _**restricted**_ files."

"He does?" Hissa asked with a frown.

"It is possible that it is **he** that has access to the clearance codes the rebels have been using; the ones that you have been tracking. He may be highly placed in the Imperial hierarchy. He knows too much to be just another thug."

Hissa considered what she said.

"What evidence have you seen that supports that statement, my lord?"

Keera fidgeted, she didn't want to pass on what she knew; at least when it came to her personal history.

Still she had to tell the magistrate something.

She sighed.

_Okay_, she thought, _fine_.

"He proved his knowledge during one of his recent attacks," she informed him "He…he left a message for me at the listening post that was destroyed; what was in that message…no mere rebel could have gotten it easily."

Hissa nodded, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"What was in that message, my lord?" he asked, "Perhaps I can help you run down the link."

"Appreciated, but not necessary, magistrate," she replied, "What was in that message was personal, and classified, I will deal with that end of the investigation, myself."

"As you wish, my lord," he said with a bow, "In the meantime, I will distribute the name to our intelligence section; see if they can dig up anything for you."

"That would please me," she said, "We should also try and dig up any past information on the name, perhaps we can identify some family connection or link with the current government."

The magistrate's image shifted slightly, and this time it was not static from the windstorm.

Keera frowned.

_What was that?_

_Was he…uncomfortable?_

"I…I doubt it would lead to anything, my lord," he responded, "Moritza, it…it…that name is not Oridannan, that is for sure."

Keera frowned; the man had dismissed this lead too quickly. Plus, she had felt a slight shift in the Force, a disturbance around the man.

Interesting.

She pinned the magistrate was a hard gaze.

_Are you trying to hide something from me?_

"You **have **heard the name before, the family name," she said, "I sense that you recognized it.

She smiled.

"Tell me, Magistrate, did you ever know anyone named _Moritza?"_

Again the man shifted, now she **could** sense his nervousness, she could see it on his face.

Lie to me, she thought, I dare you.

She smiled.

She would happily punish him if he did.

"I…I knew a young woman by that name, once" he confessed, "It was years ago, she was…special to all those that knew her."

Keera paused.

Yes, she thought.

She was.

The softness in the man's voice surprised her. Yes, she still remembered seeing him ogle her mother, but she had assumed that a matter of mere lust.

Maybe...it had been more.

Maybe Hissa had actually had feelings for her mother?

It was a strange thought to be sure.

"I doubt that she has anything to do with this current investigation, my lord," Hissa added quickly, too quickly, "The woman that I speak of died years ago, as did her family."

Hissa sighed.

"It sounds like a dead end to me."

_But is it,_ Keera wondered.

She knew her mother's files were sealed, if they ever existed in the first place. She had hoped to use this investigation to get access to them, or at the very least learn who had sealed them. She could not do it alone, and did not want to risk exposing weakness to her fellow members of the cabal, but hopefully, if multiple parties started asking about them, if many suddenly took interest in the name Moritza, something might just get shaken loose.

Of course, if it was as highly classified as she feared, it was also possible that Hissa might suffer for asking such questions. Whoever had sealed those files might just send someone to silence the magistrate.

That could be useful too, if someone **did** come for Hissa, it would give her a lead to follow back to its source. An assassin or agent would give her a clue of where to look next.

Even in death, the man would serve her interests, but that was the way it was.

_Everyone in the galaxy lived to serve Sith interests._

An imperial magistrate was no different.

"Ask around anyway," she ordered him, "See if you can dig up anything on this old…friend of yours."

Hissa sighed.

"As you wish," he said, "I will do as you say, but I still think this is a dead end."

"Maybe, maybe not," she said leaning in closer.

"Find. Out."

She deactivated the hyper-comm and sat back, considering what she had heard and what she had felt during their little chat.

"_It was years ago, she was…special to all those that knew her."_

Keera had never really known that side of her mother. Mya Lylos had simply been a mother and housewife by then. She spoke little of her younger years, even to her own children.

Now that Keera was older, she found such behavior…interesting.

_What was going on with you, mother?_ She wondered.

_Did you have some secret? Were you trying to protect us from it?_

_And has that secret finally started to reveal itself? Is this Tahl Moritza part of that secret?_

_Is this rebellion about __**more**__ than just the Oridannan people being unhappy with Darth Feer's rule?_

She did not want to think about that last part. Keera had been raised a loyal imperial, she had been taught to love the Empire.

She could not guess why her mother's family might try to tear it all down, and if so, why now? It had been almost five years since the deaths of the Lylos family.

Why wait for so long to take your revenge?

_Maybe this Moritza needed time to prepare, to gather resources necessary to take revenge. Still, it seemed like overkill to her. Fight Darth Feer, sure, but why try to motivate the Itae system to cede from the Empire._

It made no sense.

These thoughts left Keera's head spinning, she had no idea what might be behind all this. She did not want to believer her family was tied up in this treason, and then there was the matter of message at the listening post.

If Moritza **was **tied to her family in some way, why not try to approach her? Why attack her? Did someone blame her for the death of the rest of their family? What had happened that night had not been her fault. She had survived only by luck and the will of the dark side.

It made no sense that anyone associated with her mother would consider her an enemy. Was she not her mother's blood, her eldest daughter? Unless they believed that she had been a part of the scheme that resulted in the Lylos family being destroyed.

_If so, they were fools_, Keera had had nothing to do with that? She had been only fifteen at the time. She had not even been fully aware of her powers yet.

She sighed.

It had **not** been her fault.

She had NOT killed her family.

Thinking about that, it made her think of Avy, of the trial she had faced on Korriban, the shades of her family, the shades she had struck down. She had destroyed them without thought or compassion.

That wasn't me though, Keera thought, Avy had all but erased me at that point.

Regardless of what had happened, she would not let it happen again.

Avy was gone, and her title and holdings belonged to Keera.

She was Darth Avaryss in name, if not in actuality, and she would rule over House Avaryss for the rest of her days.

But if my family, my mother's family have become enemies of the Empire?

Keera winced.

She did not want to think about that.

Her head continued to spin, seeking to make sense of it all; she sat down on the bed and tried to meditating, drawing the dark side into her, summoning its power.

Perhaps the darkness would offer her more, answers to the questions that now tormented her.

It was worth a try.

She turned her attention inward, drawing on her passions; her desire for revenge again Moritza, her hatred for Darth Feer. It flowed out of her heart like molten lava; it opened doors to power that still boggled her mind.

She shuddered.

There it was the heart of darkness!

Wonderous!

The dark side wrapped around her filling her up with its glory, her body was wrapped in a crimson aura.

_The power is min_e, she thought, it is all mine!

_Peace is a lie, there is only passion._

_Peace is a lie, there is only passion._

She felt herself rising off the bed.

_Through passion I gain strength._

_Through strength I gain power!_

She smiled hungrily.

Power, yes.

She sighed.

Unlimited power!

The darkside felt cold to the touch, it was always cold to the touch, but that was a good thing. Rage and hate blazed like a star within the heart of a Sith, the cold of the darkside made that heat bearable, it prevented the user from being consumed, it brought a balance all its own, and when you touched it, you got more than just relief, more than just knowledge and insight, there was more, the only thing that truly mattered.

**Power**, she thought basking in the darkness…

…And it is all mine!

MINE!

IOI

She had been so lost in the Force that she barely acknowledged her comlink, she had no idea how long it had been beeping, but finally it had pulled her back into the world of flesh and blood.

Keera sighed. She was panting; the connection had been so intense.

She had not wanted it to end.

After experiencing the darkness, the physical world always seemed disappointing, it was almost not worth it to find your way back…

…almost.

She shook her head, and tried to focus. She found herself once again sitting on her bed.

_What now_, she thought angrily.

_Can't I have a moment's peace?! _

"What is it," she said into her comlink, letting some of her anger bleed into her voice.

"You've interrupted me."

"It is Messel, my lord, sorry to disturb you," she could hear the fear in her door guard's voice; it was the only thing that kept his head attached.

"You have a visitor," he added quickly, ""Lieutenant Wilkes is here to see you, he says it's important."

_Ro is here,_ she thought, mildly surprised.

She had thought that he gone off with the rest of her forces, investigating what had happened while she had been gone.

She should have been annoyed that he was not still out there, hunting her enemies, but she was not.

What had passed between them these last few weeks returned, making her smile.

He is here, she thought, and we are alone, or at the very least, as alone as we can be.

Her body stirred at the thought.

The dark side had left her body tingling, but the Force was not the only way to satisfy someone's cravings.

A wonderful thought, she smiled.

Delicious.

She had planned on turning in early, but maybe...

…Just maybe, she needed to reconsider that idea.

She thought of how best to greet him, to meet him at the door, or simply use the Force to open it. She decided on the latter. Let him see her being above petty desire, a creature focused on the greater mysteries.

It would make what happened next that much sweeter.

She remained where she was, she did not even bother to get up and throw on a robe. If he expected to catch her off guard in her chambers he was mistaken.

It was _**he**_ that was coming into the predator's den.

It was _**he**_ that should be off balance.

She gestured to the door causing it to open, but not before sending word to Mess and Runt to let him pass.

Ro stepped into her private chambers; she remained where she was, sitting on her bed, her legs folded before her, her eyes closed.

"Keera…um…"

She could feel his eyes on her, his emotions an open book to her.

"Ah, wow."

His words made her smile, and his emotions, he was…embarrassed, in a bit of discomfort?

But was it discomfort, she could sense it, but it was…more. His discomfort, or perhaps excitement, he had not expected to see her in such a state. The flossy white night gown she was wearing wasn't exactly what most expected to see a Sith wearing. It showed more than she typically let other's see.

The thought amused her.

There were many things about her that Ro didn't know.

She looked forward to teaching him about them.

"Um, hi," he said in a small voice.

"Hi," she responded, not bothering to open her eyes.

"Do you need something? You told my guard it was important."

"I…um…heard what happened out at that farm house. I've come to see if you are okay."

"If I'm okay?" she asked, sounding puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

She opened her eyes and looked at him, seeing him standing there, looking a little bit…unsure of himself. It excited her.

It took her back to a more innocent time, an easier time in her life.

_I miss that time_, she realized.

_I've missed him._

"It was…similar to what happened to your family, was it not?" he asked, "Seeing that was not easy for you, or I don't think it would be."

Keera frowned, she did not want to think about it, the past was gone, but it still tried to wrap around her like a set of iron chains.

She would not be a slave to those chains again.

"It was…troubling," she admitted, the ease in which she told him surprised her, she normally did not like letting people in.

Ro was different however, like Fenn, he knew her.

It made being around him easier.

"So you were worried," she said with a sly smile.

"You came to check up on me?"

"I thought you might want to talk," he said, "And I brought you something."

Her smile widened.

"A present?"

"A little taste of home," he said removing a flask from his coat.

Keera smirked; she reached out with the Force and gently pulled the flask to her. It floated through the air and came to rest in her metal hand.

Ro did not resist, he merely chuckled.

"Show off," he laughed.

She shrugged.

"If you wield power, why not show it off?"

She uncapped the bottle and sniffed the contents; the sweet smell took her back.

If she was not mistaken, it was the same vintage that they had drank years ago, the wine that had left them asleep in each other's arms.

The gift made her heart beat a little faster.

She rose from the bed and approached him.

"And what is this," she purred, "Thinking of getting me drunk and taking advantage?"

"No," he said shyly, "Merely figuring we could both get drunk and forget the hell we had to deal with today."

Keera nodded, and made for the drinking glasses she kept for honored guests.

It seemed a shame to drink out of such a lowly, container.

She put a little extra sway in her step as she walked, letting him get a look at her, a real look.

"That is nice," he said.

She smirked.

"What is?"

Your…gown. It…it looks nice."

His compliment made her smile, though she suspected that it was not really her night gown that interested him.

That was okay, she was hoping that he might take notice.

"Blessed Emperor!" Ro gasped.

Keera turned, giving him an arched look.

"What?"

"Your leg," he said pointing.

"What happened?"

Keera frowned and looked down.

Her left leg had been left revealed when she paused, she saw the ugly pitted scar on her thigh. All that remained from her Trial of Blood on Fury 9.

She still dreamed about them sometimes, the inmates that her masters had sic'd on her.

She had been lucky to survive that night, had she been weaker, she likely would have been raped and killed.

Yet, she had endured, and grew stronger.

That was what mattered.

It was all that mattered.

She smiled.

"It is nothing," she said, "A scar from the earliest days of my training."

Ro still looked horrified.

"Someone stabbed you?"

She shrugged.

She had been stabbed, burned, and slashed many times since, her body was a sea of scars, each a memento of this battle or that.

She was not ashamed of them, some Sith may have seen such marks as signs of weakness, but she did not.

She had earned each one, they were badges of honor.

She would not hide them.

She returned to Ro with their drinks, offering him one.

"Sith training is not easy," she informed him, "It is succeed or perish."

She smiled brightly.

"I succeeded."

"Still does not make me happy seeing it," he said with a sigh.

"I hate the thought of you in pain."

She shrugged and took a drink.

The wine kissed her tongue, making her shiver; she closed her eyes and remembered...

…The wind in her hair, the gentle swooshing of the long grass; the feeling of Ro's arms around her, so warm and strong.

She savored those memories, simple and sweet…

…Much like the wine.

"So is that the only reason why you came tonight?" she asked, "To share a drink with me?"

He shook his head no.

"I just came from a meeting with some of my fellow peacekeepers. They are a bit concerned. The winter festival is coming up next week."

The news made Keera smile.

The winter festival, she had all but forgotten it.

The festival had been a tradition on Oridanna for generations. It was a night to celebrate not just the harvest and meeting quota, but to pay tribute to the Empire's heroes, and to remember that they were part of something greater, a part of the Sith Empire.

""Why are they worried," she asked, "The Festival is a time for celebration."

Ro frowned.

"The peacekeepers are worried; the streets are going to be filled with people. All those people, the crowds; that will be good cover for bombers. The rebels could stage a massive attack, kill thousands."

Keera shook her head.

It would be quite the opportunity, but…

…She did not think that it would be an issue.

So far, the rebellion had been hesitant to attack civilians. They had struck only at military targets. Ships, walkers, warehouses supplying the army and navy.

The rebels were too busy playing heroes, that and they needed the people's support, if they were to attack civilians, kill a lot of them, that might…might…

Keera smiled.

If they did?

Oh my!

"Keera?" Ro said.

She blinked and looked up at him, realizing she had just been standing there, a drink in hand and a smile on her face.

_She had an idea, and what a delicious one it was._

"Keera?" Ro repeated.

She shook her head.

Food for thought, she would come back to it later, her and Bleez.

Then they would see how things went.

"It is nothing," she said taking another drink.

"Nothing at all, may I have some more?"

Ro chuckled.

"No worries," he said, "I brought two flasks."

She laughed.

Smart boy.

"Are you sure that you are not trying to get me drunk?"

He laughed at that.

"Lylos, please, I'm an officer of the law, I would never…"

Keera smirked.

She had heard enough.

She grabbed him by the front of his jacket and pulled him in close. She went up on her tip toes and sought his mouth.

She kissed him hungrily.

Her head spun.

she could taste the wine on his tongue, it made the kiss that much sweeter that much more intoxicating.

She loved it.

Ro did not resist, he was surprised, at first, but that went away quickly.

She felt his arms around her, the feel of his fingers moving over her bare skin, sliding up under her gown.

She almost groaned with pleasure, the excitement in her building, burning like a star.

So long…, she thought.

…So very long.

When the kiss broke they were both panting, as he had kissed her he undid her hair, it now fell free down to her shoulders.

He always liked it when she wore her hair down.

He looked at her with hungry eyes; he was as excited as she was. Had he come to her tonight, expecting this? She was not sure.

Not that it mattered now.

She knew what she wanted.

She had put it off for far too long…

…Far too long.

"The festival will not be cancelled," she said gently pulling him along with her, her hands on his coat, but already starting to slide it off.

"Our people need hope," she said kissing his neck, working her way up to his ear.

He shuddered.

"Yeah," he said, his voice cracking, his hands found her hips and lifted her up; she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried, making his way slowly...towards the bed.

Her bed.

She looked into his eyes smiling hungrily.

"You can tell your fellows that everything will proceed as normal, the rebels be-damned."

"Should…should I go tonight?" he asked, "Tell them?"

She gave him a cruel smile.

"I'm afraid you're going to be too busy tonight," she said.

"I am?'

She nodded.

"Very busy."

She kissed him again, his hands continued to move over her body.

_Yes,_ she almost sighed.

_Oh yes!_

"I've missed you," he said panting, "I've missed you so much."

"I'm here for you now," she shuddered, feeling his tongue on her throat.

I'm...I'm here."

She threw back her head and moaned.

"Ro," she cried, "Oh yessssss!"

He lay her down on her bed, he pushed away panting, tearing off his coat, and shirt.

She grinned up at him. she watched with dark hungry eyes.

Yes, she thought.

Finally!

We can...

_**KRAKOOM!**_

The whole government tower shook, there was a flash of light outside.

The lights went out, and alarms began to wail.

Keera lay on the bed, frozen in that minute.

She…

She…

Her comlink crackled.

Lord Avaryss," the voice on the line sounded panicked, "Lord Avaryss, respond."

Keera put her pillow over her face and screamed.

Now, she thought.

NOW!

Ro retreated; pulling his shirt back on and picking up his coat.

No, Keera thought.

NO!

She knew immediately what had happened.

The rebels had struck again.

They had struck the tower.

_Now,_ she thought, wanting to tear someone apart, anyone would do.

"I…I need to get down there," Ro said heading for the door, "do you want me to wait for you?"

She shook her head no, the world turning the color of blood around her.

Damn those rebels!

Damn them!

She leapt out of bed and grabbed her lightsaber; the world a haze of red angry light.

They dared interrupt her.

They dared stop her from doing what she desired.

She snarled like an angry Tukata!

Damn you, Moritza!

DAMN YOU!


	37. The Change

**Chapter 37: The Change**

_The game was not the same._

Keera was not sure how she knew that, but at the same time, it was true.

She could feel it, not just in the Force, but in her bones.

_Something…was different._

A shiver ran down her spine.

_I'm changing._

Since the war had begun, she had been running around like a bantha doing whatever her master wanted, and what she thought was good for the Empire, and all the while she sensed that something was missing, or maybe…just amiss.

She had enjoyed some of those tasks, or Avy had, and though she had won several victories, she was not pleased with the course her life had taken.

The course that Avy had set for them, Avy had grown unhappy, and Keera had taken advantage, and now that she was here, now that she was free...

…she was still trying to figure out exactly what she was going to do with her new life.

It was all so confusing. Mission to mission, reprisal to reprisal, and then when you threw the True Heart crew and Shyra Viel into the mix, was it any wonder that she had gotten…distracted?

She had been distracted…yes; that was the word to be sure.

It felt…it felt like she was falling, that she did not know where Avy ended and she began anymore, things were blending together, much like the war itself.

She frowned.

The battle between light and dark was never black and white.

It was easy to get lost in the fog of war. Avy had been so focused on politics and prestige she had forgotten what really mattered, and so had Keera.

She had been so busy fighting Avy for control that they had both lost sight of what it was they truly desired, what mattered to one who chose to follow the dark path.

It had begun with Avy getting the Darth title, but it had not ended there, so much else had come to stand in their way, so many distractions.

It was easy to get distracted by the trappings of the life of a lord, chains did not have to be painful or made of steel; some were quite pleasurable and as soft as shimmer silk.

_Through victory, my chains are broken._

That tenate of the Sith rang true to her, especially now, especially after her adventure on Nar Shadda.

Wealth, prestige, love, these were toys, trappings that distracted a Sith from what _**truly**_ mattered, the only thing that mattered.

Keera smiled.

Power.

It was power that mattered in this galaxy, the power of the dark side was what a Sith should crave, what truly mattered in the troubled world that she found herself in.

As she had learned from an old hermit in the tombs of Korriban, passion and strength were only variables in the equation; they were the vehicle and the road you travelled on. Power was the answer, the destination.

She had forgotten that, been distracted by titles and schemes.

_I will not get distracted again_, she thought to herself.

_From now on, I focus on what truly matters._

She had rededicated herself to that mission, especially now, the attack, or rather the attempted attack on the government tower had crystalized so many things for her.

The rebels were proving to be far better equipped than she had gave them credit for, the raids against imperial detachments were one thing, but to try and attack the government tower itself.

That…that attack…it showed just how brazen these rebels were.

Keera respected that, she would still kill them for it, but they now had her respect.

She would show that respect by peeling the flesh from their bones.

The attack itself had not been as successful as the rebels would have wished. They had managed to a plant a bomb on one of the Siths' Starfighters; a Starfighter that had been on its final approach to the tower. A stroke of good luck had saved the Sith from being seriously bloodied this day.

The ship's final approach had been delayed by a transport that had been having repulsor lift problems. It had been in a holding pattern when it had finally detonated, killing the pilot and destroying the craft. That explosion had been powerful, it had blown out three floors of windows in the tower, causing the alarms to blare and twenty three minor injuries, but no one had been killed, thank the Emperor.

Still it had been a close call, had the ship been on the landing pad when it had detonated…

…things would have been much, much worse.

Such an attack was brazen, and more importantly, it was proof; proof that things were not entirely what they seemed.

It was proof that more was going on here than she realized. That this rebellion was more than just farmers being angry at Darth Feer's rule, and hiring a group of pirates to harass the Sith's shipping lanes.

This rebellion had the potential to become a very real threat.

It now fell to her to see it dealt with.

It was a task she took seriously.

Avy had failed, she would not.

She would end this rebellion, whatever it took…

…she would end it.

She was the first of the governing council to arrive in the tower's audience chambers. The full leadership had been summoned by the Moff, but for the moment she had the room to herself. Neither Darth Sadi, nor Moff Galek had yet to emerge from where ever it was they were hiding.

Keera frowned.

It was not the message the leadership of this world should have been sending, but then again this was hardly a typical problem.

_Perhaps it is not simply a matter of fear,_ the darkness within her whispered, _perhaps the reason that the Lord and her pet governor are not here is because they are making a few well timed political moves, making sure that their pawns are in the right place._

_It __**was **__possible,_ she acknowledged_, these rebels were far better equipped than she had suspected; maybe there was a good reason for that._

Perhaps this rebellion is about _**more **_than just the people of Oridanna.

Perhaps there is a larger game being played here.

Once again, that would not surprise her.

_What if this rebellion was no true rebellion at all? What if it was some power play by Darth Sadi or Moff Galek? Either the lord or the governor could have arranged what she had seen up to this point. It was possible they were trying to weaken Darth Feer's grip on Oridanna and the Itae system as a whole. _

Whoever controlled the Empire's food supply would be in a position of great power. They would literally have the Empire by the throat. Keera understood that, after all, it was what SHE intended to do.

Paranoia suddenly reared its head, that and a growing sense of homicidal rage.

_I need to do something about this; if this is all some game by Sadi or Galek, then my duty is clear._

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

_Why waste time playing politics?_

Her hand drifted to her lightsaber.

_Kill them all._

The thought came unbidden, but it was not entirely unwelcome.

_Kill them all. Yes._

The thought made her shiver with excitement.

_It would be fun!_

The leadership was assembling here, they expected to meet and come up with a plan on how to deal with this latest attack.

They would _**not **_expect her to strike so savagely or intimately.

_A wonderful idea_, she thought.

_Delicious!_

When it was over she would pile the heads of the traitors next to the governor's seat. She would contact her master on Dromund Kaas; inform him of the change in management. She would be the new lord of the Itae system, lord _**and**_ governor. The others would all be charged posthumously with high treason. She would order a trial and find them guilty in a matter of minutes, no need for any further investigation, suspicion was enough, and besides, the execution had already been carried out.

Sith justice…would be served.

The idea made her quiver, but…as with all good ideas…there would be consequences.

_Feer would not like that,_ she realized, _well who cared!_

If he wanted Itae back so badly, let him come here with his lightsaber and reclaim it. I will…

She blinked.

_Wait._

She shook her head.

_What am I doing?!_

Keera took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her heart was beating so fast, she had never been so excited, and yet, she had to rein in that excitement.

_Kill the rest of the leadership?_

_Where in the Emperor's name had THAT come from?_

Though she was no stranger to Sith bloodlust, she had never felt it so strongly before. Even Avy had never attempted something so audacious!

The realization of what she had been thinking about came down hard around her, and what the consequences of what such actions would be.

Even if she succeeded in executing the full leadership, the Dark Council would never stand for it, not with the empire at war. Such a bloody power grab would likely result in her being declared a rogue Sith. She would be hunted down and killed for interfering in the war effort.

Not even Darth Marr would speak up for her if she struck so blindly.

It would be suicide.

Keera sighed and took another deep breath. She felt her desire to kill lessen, but it did not fade, not completely.

_And there it is_, she thought.

_More proof that I've turned a corner; that I'm changing._

_I'm changing, but into __**what?**_

She could not say for certain.

The thought did not entirely please her.

Strength alone was not enough to gain _real_ power, it required cunning and intelligence. If she allowed herself to become a killer driven only be the dark side and her own bloodlust, she would be lost.

She might have well become a marauder or battle rager.

Violence was all well and good, but it would not give her what she truly desired.

No, she needed to maintain control, at least for now.

There would come a time that she would be able to unleash her full bloodlust, but that was not now.

She looked up; she heard voices in the hall approaching the chamber. The rest of the leadership had arrived, including her people.

She nodded, and moved her hand away from her weapon. She stood straight and proud; seeking to project an aura of calm and loyalty.

She would not let anyone see the howling monster that was starting to claw at her mind, not yet.

She would control herself, at least for now.

Death would come soon for her enemies, she thought with a smile.

It would happen, she had foreseen it.

Her time…would come.

IOI

"_The oppression of the Empire must end! The cycle of retribution against the innocent must end. We, the voice of resistance, swear to bring down the foul regime that has oppressed the good people of Oridanna for too long! We urge you, the free citizens of Oridanna, to stand up against the oppression, and take a stand against Sith mysticism and tyranny!"_

The recording had been going for almost twenty minutes now, it had been distributed to every government building and Imperial barracks on Oridanna; the latest statement of defiance from the resistance movement that now plagued Oridanna, and the Itae system as a whole.

Keera listened closely to the message, far closer than she had when Avy's grand speech had been interrupted. It was all very fiery and brash, meant to stir the soul and drum up support for the fight against the Empire.

It was also, Keera thought, complete and utter Bantha poo-doo.

Darth Avaryss had dealt with many fanatics during her time as a Sith apprentice, Keera now had access to all those memories and experiences. She knew a bit about fanaticism, and how they responded to those they either opposed or tried to sway to their side.

What she was hearing now, was nothing like that. She might have been wrong, but she got the feeling that this message was…staged somehow. She did not hear the fire of commitment in the voice of the speaker, and the language was all wrong too.

The rebellion was supposed to be made up of Oridannan citizens resisting Darth Feer's treatment of them. What she was hearing now, it didn't sound right, it was too…flowery for the average Oridannan. It may have been composed by some well-educated former wealthy land owner, but again that did not make sense, she did not see it, it felt wrong, both her gut and the Force was telling her something was off.

_If this rebellion is all some scheme, some power play by someone in this room, it was more important than ever that she get to the bottom of it quickly._

She had her own plans to worry about after all.

She had no desire to be tripping over someone else's.

She glanced up at her fellow leaders, Darth Sadi stood with Bael, Trade Minister Moore, and the three male enforcers across the room from her. Keera's followers formed up at her side. Bleez, Holli, Beric, and Xen clustered around her in support. Dym and Rink weren't here, but that was only because they were helping Cynn Feer get settled into her new surroundings. Plus, her Munn apprentice had developed a bit of a rapport with the former imperial filing clerk. He thought she might be useful to his own research, his role in the plan.

Keera allowed it, for now, if it helped to bring the girl closer to their side, so much the better.

As for Necris, her first apprentice was still aboard _the Emperor's Wisdom_. Though her skills would have been useful, Keera thought it wise to keep at least one of her apprentices in reserve, just in case.

Necromancers were rare in the Empire, and she preferred to keep one wild card up her sleeve, just in case Sadi tried something…unusual.

Plus, when HK came back she wanted one of her inner circle in attendance to meet with him, just in case she was not available the droid had a part to play in her final plan.

She hoped he would return soon, he would be most useful.

That left only the Chief Magistrate, Hissa was still in the field and only in attendance in hologram form, his image projected not far from where Keera was standing, showing where his loyalties lay. Chylde, the Twi'lek enforcer stood close Bleez, the tips of her head tails twitching as she listened to the rebel's message of resistance.

Keera could not yet say that the Twi'lek was on her side, but she was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. She would test the girl in the coming days; make sure that this was not some plan of Sadi's.

Ro should have been here as well, but he had been called away after the attack. The peacekeepers and bulk of the Sith army had been mobilized to every major airfield and spaceport on the planet. They were making sure that no more rebel surprises were waiting to go off.

The thought angered the young dark lord.

She could have used Ro's presence, both as a symbol of her commitment to Oridanna's security and for whatever…_comfort_ he could have offered her after this meeting concluded.

The fact that they had been interrupted before things had gotten…interesting enraged her.

_I could have used that release, and now, I must find another outlet._

_If I cannot have pleasure, I shall inflict pain._

The thought brought a smile to her face.

Someone needed to suffer; she needed to see it done.

Thinking of that reminded her of Bleez, and what they had talked about, the first stage in Keera's plan.

She hit the privacy toggle in her helmet. What she had to say was not for outside ears.

"Engage privacy mode, Bleez," she ordered.

"Privacy mode engaged, my lord," the trooper's voice filled her helmet, broadcast by their private communicators.

Bleez answered her without moving a muscle. No one would guess they were having a conversation, which was good.

"What is it that you require?"

"The plan we discussed," Keera said coldly, "I take it that things are being arranged?"

"They are, my lord," the Warmaster responded, "Everything will be ready by the night of this festival you told me about; your grand reveal."

The Warmaster chuckled. It was not a sound Keera was used to hearing.

Bleez rarely laughed, and when the trooper did, well, it was a safe bet that you should start feeling sorry for someone.

"What is so funny?" Keera asked.

"Not funny, amusing," Bleez replied, "I was starting to fear that we were going to take no progressive action against our enemies; that we were content to wait and let them make a mistake."

"I take it that you disapproved of that strategy?"

"Strongly, my lord, I do not mean to criticize, but I prefer to be on the attack rather than waste time trying to defend."

"Patience is not a weakness, Bleez," she reminded her Warmaster. A dog of war must know when best to bite."

Keera laughed then, a cold wicked sound.

"We cannot save everyone, Bleez. I tried that, and I failed. This new plan will require some sacrifices, but they are necessary."

"You cannot make an omelet without breaking eggs," Bleez replied, the trooper sounded almost eager.

Keera more than understood.

_She was eager too._

Before the start of summer season, Moff Galek, Darth Sadi, and Bael Feer would all be dead, and she would be in command of a restored, and loyal, Itae system. The rebellion would be crushed, and Darth Feer would need to leave his seat of power on Dromund Kaas. He would need to come here, to try and re-cement his power.

He would arrive to find Keera waiting for him, with her lightsaber in hand. She would slay Feer and take his position on the Dark Council. From there she would need to sort through the survivors of the coup she had planned, keep the best, and discard the rest.

It would be an exciting time to be sure.

_Of course, I must not get over confident, the war continues to rage. If the Republic gains an edge or loses a step I will need to be ready._

The plan was far from perfect, but it was do-able, especially if the rebels continued to play their parts.

All they had to do was keep going on as they were, that is what Keera needed, what her plan called for.

The message ended, the rebels' holographic symbol vanished.

Lady Synestra looked up from the governor's seat; she had claimed it as her own at the start of this meeting. Galek stood silently behind her, next to Colonel Glasc.

The lady did not look happy, not that she ever did.

_That was okay_, Keera thought.

_It was all part of the plan._

"What exactly have you people been doing?!" the lady demanded, "My husband, the lord councilor, ordered that this…mockery of a rebellion be crushed."

Synestra glared at them all in turn, her green eyes flashing.

"Why is this still happening? You will explain yourselves, now!"

It was Moff Galek that chose to speak first, likely trying to protect his own position; he had been one of the few survivors of Darth Feer's purge.

He likely wished to remain that way.

"Attacking these criminals openly would only make them martyrs, my lady," he said, "The council has agreed to handle this matter delicately, to prevent the rebels from gaining more support."

"So I see," Synestra said with a sneer, her eyes falling on Keera, her smile turning cold and venomous.

"This was your idea, wasn't it, girl?" she said in her usual condescending tone.

Keera was about to respond, but was interrupted. Despite their…arrangement, Synestra had no problem putting her tentative ally down.

It was all part of the act, but at the same time it galled Keera.

_I'm a dark lord._

_How dare the woman lecture me?_

"I should have suspected as much," Synestra said, "considering your past."

"DEATH KNELL," Bael said, pretending to sneeze.

Both Synestra and Sadi looked at him. The boy smiled, making both chuckle. Sadi reached up and patted his arm, murmuring for him to behave himself.

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Bael knew about what had happened? He knew about Death Knell.

She was surprised, he had been on Korriban when those events occurred, perhaps his father had told him.

Hearing his comment, it annoyed her; he had no room to talk about that.

It had been…an imperial matter.

It was a good hit, she supposed, but that did not make it a smart one.

_Death Knell,_ she thought.

_It was not a subject she was fond of talking about._

IOI

Project Death Knell had been Avaryss' first real operation as a full Sith Lord, Keera had never had the same love for it that her other half had, but was still smarting by the failure of it

First proposed by Darth Hecaetus, it had been shelved for years., but reactivated when Darth Marr had brought it to Darth Feer and then, through him, to her.

Hecaetus had believed that it was possible to use the dark side of the Force to convert a mundane just as easily as a Jedi. He had started work on new form of Dark Side Poison, a drug that would open a non-Force sensitive up to the dark side's power and influence, by using both science and dark side alchemy; he had plotted to convert the entire army and navy of the Republic. He would have seen those brave men and women converted, and turn them all into willing allies of the Sith Empire.

Alas, the plan had never taken shape, Hecaetus was killed by Marr, and Project Death Knell had fallen under the sway of Darth Terrog. Terrog had been assigned by the council to see the project carried out, even had an R and D frigate fitted to see to the project's needs, but he eventually abandoned it for his own work, his own desires.

When Terrog died, Marr turned Hecaetus' project and resources over to Darth Feer, and given Avaryss' interest in Hecaetus, she had been assigned as project lead.

Avy had been so excited, she had dreamed of presenting the Dark Council with a full legion of new soldiers, men and women who had once been Republic POWS.

It would have been glorious.

Death Knell had been Avaryss' baby. The early results of the drug's testing had proven most exciting. Yet it did have drawbacks. For one, it could only be injected into a test subject, all attempts to have turned into a weaponized gas failed, and then there was the side effects, both for good and ill.

They were equally problematic.

Once exposed the test subject became extremely vulnerable to suggestion, obeying any order without question. The drug also attacked certain centers of the brain, killing off pain receptors and removing any sense of caution the subject might have had. In other words, the new soldiers felt no fear or pain. Sadly, that was not the only side effect, there had been a glitch that the Sith scientists had not been able to work out; namely that it killed the converted trooper within a month of being injected, the dark side was too strong for the subject to endure. The drug killed them painfully, liquefying the body from the inside out.

Still, Avaryss had not lost hope; she had started funding the project out of her own pocket, Terrog's research vessel _Shadow's Embrace_ had been fully refitted to see the problem solved and Death Knell made viable.

_It was then that the roof had caved in._

Shyra Viel, her old rival, had apparently been created aboard the _Shadow's Embrace_, and upon learning of the ship's recommission and survival had taken it upon herself to not only destroy the ship, but stop Avaryss' plans. The young Jedi had led an assault team, and despite several losses, managed to destroy _the Embrace,_ kill all the researchers, and nearly got Avaryss as well.

Had Keera not spoken up when she had, they would have died with the rest of the ship's crew. She and Avy had nearly been atomized when the Embrace had died in a fiery blast.

She had been forced to float for five days in an escape pod, to be rescued by Colonel Glasc and her men.

It had been a most embarrassing defeat.

Feer was, of course, livid with the failure, he killed all future funding for Death Knell, blaming its failure on his apprentice. Avy had feared for her own life, but the Dark Council had ruled that the real blame for the incident had fallen on the head researchers, and not the lord in charge.

She had been lucky, but still, looking back, she wondered exactly how the Republic had found out about the Embrace's mission and Project Death Knell.

It should have ended there, the project was shut down, but Avy had not been willing to give up, she had managed to salvage enough of the Death Knell research to ensure the continuance of the program; even now, in a secret lab under some of her private holding, work was continuing on Hecaetus' legacy.

Avy had hoped to offer a perfected version one day, to offer the full might of the Republic army and Navy into the Sith Empire's arms.

Keera had remained skeptical, she had thought the whole scheme beyond dishonorable, but now, as she looked at the plan with new eyes, she realized she had been mistaken.

_How nice of Bael to remind her, she had almost forgotten Death Knell, and now that she thought about it._

Who said the drug **had** to be used only on Republic soldiers? Rebel agents might work just as well as test subjects.

The realization excited her.

She would need to send word to her people. Inform them that they would have new fodder soon.

_Would I really experiment on my own people?_

The question came from her conscience, and was quickly ignored.

It was as Bleez had said.

You had to be willing to break some eggs to make an omelet.

Keera would make good use of her people's sacrifice.

Who knew? Project Death Knell might just have a future in the Empire she would soon build.

She would wait and see.

IOI

She was about to respond to Synestra's bullying when Darth Sadi stepped up, the pretty little dark lord stepped before the governor's seat and addressed the lady directly.

"Avaryss is doing her best, my lady," she said, "And as for our approach to dealing with this rebellion, it is better not to make too many enemies, the war has left our pool of soldiers drained."

She gave Synestra a gentle smile.

"If we could have more reinforcements…"

"WE have no troops to spare at this time," Synestra said cutting her off, "Recent events have stretched our forces quite thin."

Glasc hissed in disgust.

"It is these damn Revanists," he spat, "The Empire can't…"

"COLONEL!"

Synestra's voice was the crack of whip, she was glaring at her cousin, a look that suggested murder if he did not fall silent.

The loyalty officer paused and stood at attention.

Clearly he had said too much.

_Revanists_, Keera thought.

_What in the Emperor's name is a Revanist?"_

She was not the only one who picked up on it, Sadi had heard as well.

The dark lord did not look happy.

"Is there a problem, back home, my lady," Sadi asked, "Is there something we should know?"

Synestra waved her hand dismissively.

"It is nothing you need concern yourselves with. The Dark Council will deal with the Revanist threat, just as they dealt with that fool, Malgus. For now, you need to focus on dealing with the rebel threat here, and providing the Empire what it needs to win this war."

"You have nothing to fear, mother," Bael said stepping forward.

"My master will ensure that everything we desire comes to pass. She will reward father's faith in her."

Synestra looked at her son, no doubt shocked by the loyalty in his voice, the almost fanatical certainty that Sadi was just what the Empire needed.

The lady of House Feer shot a quick glance at Keera, who, ever so quickly, shook her head no.

Synestra was not ready to confront Darth Sadi with what had happened to Bael, how loyal he had become to her.

It no doubt angered her, but there was little they could do.

Bael was Sadi's apprentice.

If Synestra sought to save him from her influence, she would need to be removed first.

That is where Keera came in, and her plan.

He would not survive it, but…

That was simply the way things worked.

It would sad for the lady, but who really cared.

She deserved to lose at least something for her many insults over the years.

Hopefully, Synestra would be able to play along, until then.

"Perhaps we should cancel the Winter Festival this year," Trade Minister Moore advised.

"We cannot guarantee our people's safety."

"The rebels have restricted their attacks military targets," Hissa reminded everyone.

"They need the people's support; the likely hood of them attacking…"

"Should be considered," Keera said quickly. She approached Synestra.

"Everything will be ready by the time of the festival. Both the people and our holdings will be secure."

The woman sniffed

"You sound sure of that?"

Keera nodded.

Yes, she was quite sure. Everything would be ready by the time of the festival.

In fact, the festival, and what occurred there would change everything.

Keera looked forward to that.

It was beginning, her grand reveal; the first step in ending her master's reign.

"See that you do, both of you." her words were directed at both her and Sadi.

Both were enemies in Synestra's eyes, despite the arrangement she had made with Keera, she would not hesitate to destroy her husband's apprentice.

At least we know where we both stand, she thought.

"You will do what is necessary," Synestra warned them, "And you will not fail either me or my husband."

"Lord Feer will not be disappointed, my lady." Sadi said bowing.

"Agreed," Keera said following suit, smiling.

"Trust me, my lady," she said with a slight laugh.

"You will get everything you deserve."

"Everything."

A/N: Happy Fourth of July everyone! Sorry the updates have slowed down, but I still will keep them coming, things should be heating up in this story very soon. Plus, look for more Rogue Jedi chapters. Jas' story needs to be told as it will figure in with the last two Avaryss stories I have planned.

If anyone would like to hear about Death Knell and Avy's confrontation with Shyra let me know, I would not mind penning it if anyone is curious.

Anyway, Happy Independence Day everyone, stay safe out there.

DG


	38. Masks

**Chapter 37: Masks**

_Darth Revan was alive!_

It had finally been confirmed by Keera's agents on Dromund Kaas, for months there had been whispers and rumors, and now…finally…all those tales had been proven true.

Revan **was** alive, and not only that, but he was also moving against the Empire, recruiting both Imperials and Republic soldiers both, to what end no one seemed to know…yet.

Chaos was breaking out, not just in the Empire, but in Republic space as well.

Keera smiled hungrily.

There was opportunity in chaos.

Keera contacted Darth Marr as soon as she heard the news. She had been meeting with Necris aboard the Emperor's Wisdom, preparing for the grand gathering at the Sith government tower, the celebration of the winter festival, but that meant nothing now, not with such an opportunity waiting to be snatched.

Revan had not declared himself Emperor, not yet.

The Council would need to move quickly if they were to stop him. All loyal Sith needed to gather, to offer their strength to oppose this new threat.

The Empire needed to respond now. Revan's history and his reputation spoke for itself.

No single lord would be able to stand against this threat, it would take multiple Sith to bring this old enemy to his knees.

Necris stood respectfully at her side as she conversed with her mentor on the Dark Council, the leader of the Cabal.

_We can be underway shortly_, she thought, _we can join Marr's fleet and crush Revan before his plans can come to fruition._ It was a battle that the Empire needed to undertake, and she was a willing soldier, eager to join the fight.

Revan's return had slowed the Republic advance. They were as confused and lost as the Sith had been in the beginning. Even the Jedi were hesitating, Revan had been an ally in the past, it was rumored that they had even freed him from the Emperor's grip in the first place, causing this crisis.

That hesitation would be their end.

The Empire did not need to debate how to deal with Revan. You dealt with an enemy in only one way.

You introduced him to the point of a lightsaber.

Keera found herself hoping that it would be hers.

Yes, she was more than eager to pick up her blade and come to the rescue of their empire, but not for the reason that Marr and the other lords might think.

_They all underestimate me, _Keera thought with a wolfish smile.

_They would learn the error of that soon enough._

_All of them…would learn._

"The Emperor's Wisdom can be underway in an hour, Lord Marr," she promised the council member. "My forces can be at your command within a day."

"That will not be necessary, Lord Avaryss," Marr assured her, "The council is more than ready to deal with this threat."

The dark lord crossed his arms over his chest.

"You will remain on Oridanna, and complete your mission. You may consider this…a direct order.

Keera's eyes narrowed.

She understood, but…

No, she thought.

No!

_**It wasn't fair!**_

"It is not necessary for me to remain here, Lord Marr; one of my apprentices could easily…"

"Could easily undo everything that you have done on our behalf," Marr said interrupting her, she could feel his cold gaze; he did not like being questioned.

Especially by one who had sworn her allegiance to him.

"The rebels on Oridanna would see your leaving as an opportunity, or a victory. We _**cannot**_ allow that, not now, not when the war is entering such a critical stage."

Marr leaned in closer.

"The supplies produced on Oridanna, and in the Itae system, must continue to flow. You will remain where you are."

Keera felt a surge of unreasoning rage, a desire to kill Marr where he stood, she did not care that he was a member of the council and the Cabal.

He was seeking to deny her.

He sought to keep her from the richest of prizes.

**It was intolerable!**

Only the fear of his power kept her from lashing out, this was the man that had destroyed Darth Hecaetus; and many other rivals since…

She had no desire to join the ranks of the dead and forgotten, not when she was finally starting to understand the true power of the dark side.

_Anger will not serve,_ she realized_, try reason._

She took a deep breath and tried again.

She needed to convince him.

She needed to be the Sith that confronted Revan.

His life was too great a prize to pass up.

"I took care of Terrog for you, did I not, Lord Marr? I lost an arm doing so."

"Your sacrifices have been noted, Lord Avaryss."

"Then you know that I can do it," she said with a hungry smile, "I've mastered many of the ancient secrets, and the darkest of Sith sorcery is now mine to command. I'm more than a match for any trick that Revan might pull. You can use a lord like me."

She bowed her head respectfully, a respect she did not feel in that moment.

_I want power._

_I WANT it all!_

"Let me join your fleet, and I will…"

"**You will stay where you are**," he repeated, "That is **my** command, both for the good of the cabal, and the Empire."

Keera felt her nails digging into her right hand, almost hard enough to draw blood.

_She couldn't believe this!_

_How could Marr do this to her?_

_How could he deny her this?!_

"Seizing control of the Empire's food supply is no minor task," Marr reminded her, "It is one you pledged to complete, both to me and Lord Nox."

She sneered at the mention of the other Sith's name.

_If Nox had truly done his job, Revan would not be a problem right now._

"I have the rebels contained," she informed Marr, "They seek to provoke a violent response from us, to sway new followers with our brutality."

Keera smiled.

"I've denied them that; the fire that they hoped to fan has faded to mere embers. Soon I will stamp those embers out, but in the meantime…"

"**There is no meantime,**" Marr repeated, "My decision is **final."**

She felt the full weight of his power then, not really crushing her, but heavy enough to remind her that she was not strong enough to face him…not yet.

"We will not speak of this again, Darth Avaryss, is that clear?"

She did not respond; she was too angry to speak.

"Avaryss?" his voice was a whip.

It was a warning.

A sense of fear ran down her spine.

She needed to choose her next words very carefully.

"Yes," she said with a wince, but not just because of his power.

_He still calls me by that name_, she thought angrily, _just as everyone else does._

**THAT NAME!**

She **HATED** THAT NAME!

She wanted to look him in the eye and shout for all to hear that she was NOT Darth Avaryss!

Avaryss had been replaced; Keera Lylos now ruled her house.

Keera Lylos was now a dark lord!

Avaryss had been weak; she allowed her power games and plots to distract her. She had let her enemies and the other dark lords walk all over her. She had failed on Voss, and then again when she had lost Project Death Knell. She had forgotten that true power came not from playing politics, but from rage and the dark side. Keera had rediscovered that, and now grown very powerful as a result…

…But she could become stronger still, especially if she managed to deal with Revan.

Keera was not really a compulsive person, but this opportunity sang to her.

Once opportunity called; only a fool did not listen. Unfortunately, Marr would accept no further complaints.

She had her orders.

She needed to stay here.

"There is more," Marr said dropping his voice to more of a whisper, "The rebellion on Oridanna has not gone unnoticed, Republic SIS is aware of what is happening. Imperial Intelligence believes that they may be sending agents, agents to aid the rebels in pushing the Itae system into open revolt."

Marr snarled, a strange sound coming from beneath his mask.

"They may even send Jedi. The SIS knows that **you** are there. They seek revenge for your early successes against them, the deaths of their fellows. They will no doubt choose Jedi that have embarrassed you in the past. Jedi _**they**_ believe can handle you."

Keera's eyes narrowed at that.

_I'm not Avy_, she thought.

_The Jedi have not faced me…yet._

"If any Jedi come, Lord Marr, I will see them dragged through the streets; their lightsabers will decorate my trophy wall. I will make the harshest of examples of them, and the galaxy will know not to oppose the Sith here on Oridanna!"

If Marr believed her, he did not show it. His mask and posture betrayed nothing.

He merely nodded, curtly.

"We shall see," he said, a slight gesture deactivated the holo comm.

Darth Marr was gone.

Keera hissed angrily.

We shall see?

WE SHALL SEE?!

She cursed under her breath, angry at being denied her prize, and at the councilor's dismissal of her.

**Damn that man!**

**Damn him!**

It was at that moment that Necris finally spoke up, the Devish had been watching closely from the shadows.

"You were wishing to kill Revan, yourself," she said, "You were looking to gain greater prestige?"

The question made Keera laugh.

Prestige?

How little the alien woman understood.

Despite her power, Necris could still be limited, still saw great deeds only as a means of being called a hero.

Keera, or rather Avy, had already been called a hero.

She had no desire to expand on that title any further.

"Prestige is fleeting," Keera informed her, "Power is eternal. Revan was touched by the Emperor. The master of us all made him immortal. He made him so strong than Revan has apparently returned from the death brought about by Darth Nox and Darth Malgus."

Keera shook her head.

"As a dark side Sorceress I'm very interested in such things, life that cannot be extinguished would be very valuable. The power that Revan was gifted by the Emperor, the immortality that now binds him to this world."

Necris' golden eyes widened.

She finally understood.

"You are wishing to catch Revan in a death field," she exclaimed, "You are wishing to drain his life, and make it your own!"

A cruel smile came to Keera's lips.

"Marr would simply kill Revan. He seeks only to protect the Empire. I would drain Revan dry; leave his body a dusty skeleton on the floor of his command ship."

Keera shivered at the mere thought of doing so.

"The Emperor gave Revan the gift of immortality, kept him alive all these centuries, allowed him to cheat death. If I could take that power, channel that gift into my own body…"

"You would be standing higher than any other Sith," Necris said flashing a toothy grin, "You would be no less than a living god."

Keera nodded at that.

Keera the Immortal.

Keera the god!

Who would be able to doubt her claim to the throne then?

If Revan's immortality was hers, she would have no reason to wait. She would be strong enough to destroy her master and anyone else that stood in her way.

Feer, Sadi, and the others would be nothing to her. The rebellion would be nothing; the mundane fools would be dirt beneath her nails.

Alas, that was not meant to be, Marr had denied her that prize.

She sighed and took a deep breath.

She would simply have to find another path to greatness.

Necris said little, she doubted that the necromancer would understand.

The Devish seemed to no longer grasp the value of life.

It was a weakness to be sure.

"You would be taking his life energy if you could?' Necris asked.

"If I could, yes."

Her apprentice grinned wickedly.

"But why should you be stopping there, my master? If you are willing to take a life, why are you not willing to take a death as well?"

Keera's eyes narrowed.

"Explain, apprentice?"

Necris laughed.

"Death is not the end, as the Jedi are fond of saying we are luminous beings, in the end we are drawn into the Force.

Necris' eyes flashed with a barely contained madness.

"But it does not have to be that way. There are being other options. In my travels, in my studies of my family, I have been uncovering that there is far more than what the Jedi believe, so much more that someone can lose."

She approached her master, her eyes practically glowing.

"You are knowing how to take life, my master, but to take death, is something grander, to being the one that denies a spirit the Force, to take everything that it once was, and leave nothing remaining, to deny even the worms their meal, that is being a power that cannot be bought or sold, and being held with so little regarded by our fellow Sith."

Necris reached to her belt, and removed the melted remains of a metal wrist guard, Keera could feel the dark side blazing within the ash covered crimson stone, how it responded to her apprentice's touch.

She held it up for her master to see.

"One of my ancestors recovered this. It is believed that it once belonged to the great Sith Lord Exar Kun, and before him, the legendary Naga Sadow. It was being recovered after Kun's defeat on Yavin 4, and it was being taken back by my Jedi ancestor as a trophy."

Keera grinned.

"And how did you acquire it?"

"It was being in the hands of a cousin of mine, he was not being Force Sensitive, but believed it worth his life to try and protect it from the Sith, to hide it from those who could use and understand its power."

Necris gave her a devilish smile.

"I was more than willing to be granting his wish. I killed him and took this prize for myself. My family is now being aware of my new allegiance. I will never be able to stand among them again."

"Does that bother you apprentice?"

"Not at all, my lord," Necris said with a smirk, "What I have been finding among the Sith intrigues me more than anything the Jedi could have offered. It is being a life beyond the understanding of a mere knight. I will be experiencing a life of miracles and dark secrets. Powers the foolish and mundane believe to be unnatural."

Necris handed her the trinket.

"Exar Kun used this wrist guard to strike down the Sith ghost Freedon Nadd. I felt its history when I touched it, I have always have had a touch of psychometric ability, but only through the dark side has it been truly enhanced."

Keera looked down at the red stone.

"Kun used this stone to kill the dead?"

"He destroyed Nadd's spirit, reached into its very center and drew out its power, and made it his own. I felt it; it was being a most incredible experience for him, my master. It is having left its mark on the stone, and offers much to the one who wields it."

"And you are giving it to me," Keera said, "Why?"

"It will be making you stronger, and it is of no further use to me. My powers allow me to do what this does without shiny trinkets, but to a sorceress who wishes to seize death and life both, it would be most valuable."

Keera nodded, touched by her apprentice's gift.

"If it does as you say, I shall reward you greatly," she promised, "I keep many secret spells to myself, and will share them only with my most devoted minion. Master and apprentice shall learn together, and become stronger than they ever were."

Necris giggled.

"Why else would I have been giving you such a gift? Train me well, master, for when the day comes that I replace you, you will be proud of the Sith that you have made."

Keera chuckled.

That was the end game, wasn't it?

Most would not understand why a Sith would willingly train the one who was destined to kill them. It was not about being suicidal.

Facing your own apprentice was a test. It was a challenge. Are you strong enough to survive the challenge? Can you survive and endure your apprentice's attempt?

Necris may try to kill her, but if she failed, she would die.

She would need to choose her moment very carefully, just as Keera now looked and waited, preparing for the moment that she would be dealing with Darth Feer.

Strike when the time was right, it was the only way to truly advance. Power and patience were as necessary as anger and hate.

They were cornerstones of the Sith, and of the Empire as a whole.

Keera understood that, she would make sure that her apprentices understood it as well.

She smiled at her apprentice, for the moment her anger at the loss of Revan's life energy was gone.

Necris continued to impress her, continued to show that she belonged among the ranks of the Sith.

Keera was proud of her.

All masters should have such willing and cunning apprentices.

"Will you be going behind Darth Marr's back, my lord?" The Devish asked, "Shall we make our own plans to deal with the traitor?"

Keera shook her head.

Now was not the time to risk angering the Dark Council, not when it would lose her an ally, and strengthen her master's position.

No.

Keera would be the good dark lord, for now.

She would continue with the mission that the cabal had trusted Avy with.

She would bring Oridanna to heel.

It would all start with the Festival celebration, she thought.

My great reveal is at hand.

Besides, it was best to focus on only one scheme at a time, if Revan survived Marr's attack; it still might be possible to take what she desired most.

"We shall leave the traitor Revan to the council for now, my apprentice."

Keera grinned and stroked the other girl's face; Necris accepted the show of affection without complaint.

"Tonight we celebrate," she told the girl.

"And then?" Necris asked.

"Then, dear Necris, we shall obliterate ALL of our rivals!"

Necris giggled.

"It sounds fun, my lord."

Keera smirked.

"Yes, my apprentice…

"It will be."

IOI

The Winter Festival of Oridanna was a celebration that had been occurring since the earliest days of the Empire.

It had begun originally as a party to celebrate the harvest, but in the years since had evolved into a means to honor the loyal servants of the Empire; the brave men and women that went out into the stars and kept them all safe.

Tonight it would come to have another meaning.

Tonight, Keera Lylos would make her grand return to her homeworld.

Tonight…she would stand unmasked, the savior of her people.

It would be the dawn of a new day.

She stood undressed before the mirror in her quarters. She only been back from her ship about an hour, just enough time to bathe and perfume her body.

She regarded her body, the scars of her life as a Sith, and the shape of the woman she had become.

She was…pleased by what she saw.

Despite the loss of her arm, she remained a pretty package. Her purple eyes blazed with cool confidence, her frame was both athletic and shapely. Her long raven hair flowed down to the small of her back.

I'm beautiful she thought with a shy smile.

Now it is time for the rest of Oridanna to see it.

She looked over at her bed, one of the servants had laid out one of her uniforms, its sharp lines pressed and perfect, her helmet and mask had been polished to a mirror shine. She would look every bit the lord if she went to the ceremony so dressed.

Of course, this was NOT what she would be wearing tonight.

She looked at the fine gown she had gotten on Nar Shadda. The Gotal had done an excellent job.

It would be a pity not to wear it, especially among such grand company.

She looked at the shoes she had chosen, a bit of a higher heel than she liked, but military style boots would not look good in such a gown.

She sighed.

Sometimes she believed that high heels had been developed by some Sith torture expert during the earliest days of the Empire.

Whoever it was, she thought I hope they died a long, slow and painful death.

Stop complaining, you know what must done, and what will look best when you do it.

She nodded.

Yes, she did, but that did not mean that she had to like it.

She glanced out her window, the sun had almost set, by now people would be celebrating in the streets, paying honor to those that served the Empire, and celebrating another blessed harvest.

The rebels would be among them to, of course, looking to stir up trouble. Sith Forces would be moving through the crowd, making sure that nothing came of the rebels' presence.

They have had free reign for too long, she thought to herself.

By morning, it would be her turn.

She went to the bed and paused before the two outfits, a brief sense of nervousness almost stopped her from picking up the gown.

I don't have to do this, she thought; my mask and uniform are ready.

Yes they were, but they were Avaryss' mask and uniform not hers.

Keera was tired of playing at being Avaryss.

She wanted to be herself, if only just for tonight.

She nodded.

She would not back out now.

She knew what she wanted.

All that was left now was to prepare.

She returned to the fresher, to apply her makeup.

I'm wasting time, hesitating, she thought.

The fact that she was hesitating only made her more angry at herself.

I've committed to this path.

I've chosen it.

It will be done.

She thought no more on the subject. The time for thinking and planning was over.

Now it was time to act.

Now was the time to reveal herself.

IOI

The halls were mostly empty as she made her way towards the central chamber of the tower, tonight it had been converted into a ball room, a place for the great and powerful of Oridanna to celebrate.

Keera's cloak billowed around her, her hood pulled up to hide her features. Her bodyguards kept a polite distance as she made her way down the hall.

She could already hear the music playing, the sound of many voices. For the moment she was just another Sith, another lord scrambling for control.

She was about to show her people otherwise.

The gown felt lovely against her skin, the sash at her waist bore both her lightsaber, and the poison dagger she had gotten on Pholis easily. She had considered wearing the stone that Necris had given her but thought better of it.

Before I do anything with that stone, it needed to be examined by her loyal alchemists and security people, she did not think Necris would use poison or trickery to hasten her demise, but chose not to take chances.

Beware your apprentice; it was a lesson that had kept many a Sith Master alive.

She would disregard it easily.

Finally, she came to the doors, two servant droids approached her; she lowered her hood and let them take her cloak.

The doors began to open, as the herald announced the arrival of Darth Avaryss, Dark Lord of the Sith, and High Inquisitor of the Itae system.

She took a deep breath to center her nerves and smiled.

Let them all see me, she thought.

Let them all finally look on my true face.

She strode into the chamber like she owned the place, her head held high and her bearing proud.

Many of the guests looked up as she entered, some actually looked surprised, shocked by her appearance.

Avaryss had always hidden her face, to see the woman beneath the mask put many people off guard.

As you should be you miserable wretches, she thought, just barely hiding her smirk.

It is not Avaryss that you face now, it is Keera.

And Keera is hungry for your demise.

Her eyes searched the crowd for her allies and servants; she spotted Rink in the corner, talking to Holli and Necris. Xen and Beric were walking arm in arm, looking totally lost in each other's eyes. Dym kept his distance, to say the Muun was stand offish would be an understatement, but that was likely partly because of the Imperial obsession with anti-alien bias.

The Muun was a Sith, regardless of what others thought.

She spotted Darth Sadi conversing with Lady Synestra, Bael, Moff Galek, and Minister Moore, of the five, it was clear that the men were the most shocked by her appearance, and why not?

They had never seen her unmasked before; perhaps they were surprised with how she looked. The lack of dark side necrosis on her body bothered some in the Imperial circles.

She ignored their looks; who cared what they thought?

She would no longer hide who she truly was.

She was done being afraid of herself.

Of those that noticed her arrival, three now made their way towards the stairs as she descended into the main hall. Warmaster Bleez, the trooper's armor polished to a mirror shine. Colonel Glasc dressed in a fine black dress uniform, looking every bit the loyalty officer he was, and finally Chief Magistrate Hissa.

Keera smiled.

Hissa had paled; he looked like he had seen a ghost.

She walked right up to him, a hint of an amused smile on her face.

She was looking forward to this, it would be amusing.

"My lord," Bleez said with a respectful nod.

"Lord Avaryss," Glasc said tipping his cap to her.

She smiled at Hissa.

"Magistrate," she purred, "A lovely party is it not?"

He blinked, almost too surprised to speak.

"It…it can't be," he murmured, "It can't…"

He stepped forward, seeing her truly for the first time.

"Mya," he whispered, "You…it cannot be."

Keera's smile turned sly.

He thinks me, my mother, she realized.

How delightful.

She laughed warmly.

"You honor me, Magistrate," she said warmly, "But I fear your eyes deceive you."

She gave him a playful smirk.

"You see the mother, but it is the daughter that stands before you."

Hissa blinked, digesting what she had told him. It took him a bit to understand, to realize what he was seeing, she smirked raising her mechanical arm, the one thing she had that her mother had not possessed.

"Daughter," he murmured, "You are Mya's…"

His eyes widened in realization.

"Keera?"

She nodded.

"You…you're Mya and Andur's daughter!"

"I'm the daughter of an overseer, and a Dark Lord of the Sith," she said proudly.

"And I've come…to save my home."

"But not tonight, I hope."

Keera turned and smiled.

Ro emerged from the crowd, looking every bit the handsome officer he was.

She drank in his form, a hungry smile on her face.

Delicious!

He offered her his hand.

"My I have this dance, Keera.

She grinned; the music was nice; it was something local, something that she remembered from their childhood.

She took his hand without hesitation.

She left her staff and the spellbound Magistrate behind her, letting her old friend lead her out onto the dance floor.

"Everyone is staring," he said with a warm smile; his breath tickling her ear.

"I think you have made an impression."

"That was the idea," she purred, moving against him, and resting her head against his chest.

"I'm glad you came,"

He laughed; she could hear his heart beating faster as they moved together.

Perfect, she thought.

I wish only to have a perfect night.

She caught the eye of Darth Sadi; the pretty Sith Lord had a curious look on her face, likely wondering what Keera was playing at.

Let her worry, she thought.

Everything will be made clear in a few hours, but in the meantime, in the meantime…

She smiled as Ro pulled her tighter into his arms, as one they began to glide across the dance floor.

She felt like she was floating, it was almost…magical.

So it shall be, she thought, for a time.

In that moment, she chose to forget the world, rebels, rivals, and the dark side were put aside.

Her schemes would keep until morning, for now.

It was a time of celebration.

It was a time of passion; she and Ro were both free for the night.

She intended to enjoy it to the fullest.

No more masks, at least, not until tomorrow.

One last night of pleasure she thought.

For tomorrow…it begins.


	39. It was Time

**Chapter 39: It was Time**

The celebration was still going on when they finally slipped away.

There was a touch of danger to the act, leaving her guards behind, she had many enemies now, and who knew if any rebel agents had infiltrated the tower.

At that point, neither cared, they enjoyed the risk of it; the danger, at one point Ro pulled her into a shadowed corner as two guards passed. Keera's heart pounded with excitement as the troopers passed by, she barely stifled a giggle, as Ro pressed tightly against her as the two hid in the shadows.

He laughed and held up his finger for silence, she complied, but could no longer deny the warming of her body, how close he was to her.

It had been sometime since she had had a chance to sneak away for a little mindless fun.

How long had it been since she had had a chance to be happy? How long had it been since she had been able to simply indulge her whims.

A long time to be sure, she thought, smiling up at him, and things could only get better from here.

_Ro…mmmmm._

She looked at him with hungry purple eyes.

She could barely wait to get back to her quarters, to get him alone.

She could hardly wait.

The two childhood friends made their way down the halls of the government tower, they said nothing to each other, they did not need to; both were lost in a comfortable silence, a silence that came from truly knowing someone…

…or perhaps…only **believing** that you knew someone.

Keera smiled.

There were so many things she wished to say to her old friend. She wanted to bring him into her plan, to bring him the rest of the way into her life, and yet…she feared that such an attempt would end badly.

She feared that Ro Wilkes would NOT understand; that he wouldn't be able to accept what needed to happen.

It was not an easy thing, what she was about to do, what needed to be done. The rebellion needed to be crushed. The future of the Empire depended on it, the resources of Oridanna needed to flow.

Her plan was the first step in accomplishing that, but to someone that didn't truly understand or embrace the dark side…

_He wouldn't get it,_ she **knew** that.

He would not understand and he would abandon her.

She could not have that; not yet…

Ro was the one thing on this world that she truly desired. The power that she would gain when she became the lord of Itae was one thing, but Ro…Ro…

He was a living breathing part of her past, the only thing that she wanted to hold onto.

Parents, siblings, a home, a family, these were fleeting, taken away in an instant.

She had no desire to lose anything else.

Ro believed in her, he thought she was what their world needed, and she was…just _**not**_ in the way that he thought.

He would see, but first…the world needed to be put right, and she had to hold onto his regard.

His loyalty, his respect, she didn't want to lose either of them.

She couldn't.

"Are you okay?"

His question brought her out of her musings.

_He knows me so well_, she thought, _even without the Force, he can sense when I'm troubled._

It should have been enough, but it wasn't.

Despite the physical desires she felt, the familiarity and comfort he represented, he was not what she truly needed…

_He wasn't Fenn._

He was **not** her endgame, but he was important to her, here and now…he was what she wanted, what she needed.

She would not abandon him.

_If he is so important_, she thought, _maybe I should call the whole thing off. The plan is in place, yes, but there was still time._

She could excuse herself and contact Bleez, tell the Warmaster that the plan needed to be put on hold. She would come up with another idea and….

_No._

The denial hit her like a slap.

_You will do __**nothing**__ of the sort. _

The voice she was hearing had been born of the darkness; it was the part of her that had awakened on Nar Shadda, the part of her that had set off the inferno at the spaceport.

The part of her that bathed in the sweet flames of destruction, that reveled in the shadows that consumed all caught in the inferno.

_You have come too far to back out now. It is too late to stop now; you must finish what you started._

She nodded; the realization was enough to bring her back to the here and now.

_Yes,_ she realized.

Once Keera would have hesitated, she would have tried to find another way, but now…now…

She wasn't _**that **_person anymore.

She wasn't trying to gain control anymore. Avy was gone, and she was grateful for that.

The time had come to consolidate power, to be the lord that Oridanna and the Itae system deserved.

Hesitation was weakness.

And Keera swore to never be weak again.

No one would take anything from her. She would destroy them all first.

She would destroy them all!

"Keera?"

She heard the concern in Ro's voice.

She wiped at a single tear that ran down her cheek.

"It is nothing," she said to her old friend, "Just grateful to be away from the party."

She smiled and leaned in close to Ro, so that she could whisper in his ear. Her every movement, her very breath spoke of sweet seduction.

"I wanted to be alone," she purred, "Alone with you."

Her smile turned sly.

"I think you will be glad that you chose to join me. I think you will enjoy it…immensely."

He grinned.

"Really?" he said in a husky voice, "what do you have in mind, my lord?"

She took the lead then, his hand in hers.

"Follow me," said with a predatory grin.

"I will show you."

He followed without fear or complaint; she could feel his desire…his lust growing. The sense of excitement was intense that it took her breath away.

She would do nothing to jeopardize this moment, it was precious.

Tomorrow everything would change.

The party, her decision to reveal herself as Andur Lylos' daughter had paid off, everything was proceeding as she had foreseen.

It had all gone perfectly.

Everything was going according to plan.

IOI

The party at the government tower had proven to be as enlightening as it was necessary. Once the various powerbrokers and elite members of Danna City society had gotten a look at her, everything had changed.

She had never met any of them, not as Keera, but they remembered Andur Lylos, and they recognized her mother in her features.

It had been enough to draw them to her, to get them to finally open up to her.

Keera had been extremely pleased in that moment. She had also come to a realization, something that should have been clear weeks ago, but only now was revealed because she had chosen to open herself up to her past.

The mission that had brought her here, her attempt to rein in the rebellion as a Sith Lord had been doomed to fail from the start.

Darth Feer had not sent her here to succeed. He likely realized that what he had expected was impossible; he had made sure of that before she had ever arrived.

He had expected Avaryss to fail, and had done everything in his power to ensure that it happened. The rebels had known her every move since she had first set foot on this planet. She had been on the ground less than a minute when she had been first attacked.

She now believed that Feer had taken a direct hand in that. It sounded crazy, but that did not mean that it did not make sense.

The last year had seen Avy being sent from minor task to minor task, and each resulting in at least some degree of failure. The power and prestige she had earned by her victory over Darth Terrog had slowly been stripped away, bit by bit.

Her master's cruelty on Oridanna had confounded her at every turn, and by the time she had arrived; her chances of actually defeating the rebels and reunifying the people with the Empire had fallen to almost zero.

Once again, she thought, at the will of her dear master.

An outsider had no chance; the people took one look at Avaryss and saw her as a puppet, yet another tool in her master's arsenal. Feer had profited greatly from his apprentice's success, been named to the Dark Council, and granted all of Darth Terrog's holdings.

He now sought to break the apprentice that had given him so much. It had been on the back of Avy's successes that his greatness had been achieved, and now he sought to break her down, prevent her from joining him on the plateau of Imperial power.

A defeat on Oridanna would do just that, it would also justify Feer coming down hard on these people. They believed they were oppressed now, they would learn what oppression truly was when the Dark Council finally untied Feer's hands. His apprentice would, of course, take all the blame. Her star would continue to fall, until one day Feer would be free to give her an assignment that was as lethal as it was degrading.

Avaryss had been doomed from the start. The people of Oridanna would never accept her.

The only way to succeed was do something unexpected, something crazy.

Keera's return was that unexpected event, it was something that Lord Feer had not foreseen.

In this, she stood a chance to succeed

Avaryss had been an outsider. Keera was not.

Keera could inspire her people.

She walked among them arm in arm with Ro. They came to her, like moths to a flame. Their words were warm and respectful.

"So you are truly Andur's daughter?"

"It has been too long since a Lylos walked the halls of this tower. His presence has been missed."

"Your father wielded great respect."

"He would be glad to see that you survived the attack by those brigands, and that you have risen so high in the Empire, my dear."

Keera smiled and answered each question and accepted every compliment like it was her due; though she only just managed to hide the sneer that tried to come to her lips.

Brigands, she thought.

How very _amusing._

It seemed that her master's lie had taken root. The fact that Andur Lylos had been executed on his orders was not discussed, only the tale told to shield the failure of Feer's men.

She could have corrected them, but she didn't bother.

Let them continue to see her father as a hero.

It would only serve her ends.

As she listened to the tales of those that had fought beside her father, she came to realize just what type of man he had been. What he might have achieved.

As overseer, her father could have been far more than what he was, far more than a mere government servant seeking to ensure the happiness of the people under his care.

So much potential, Keera thought, and all of it had been wasted.

Tragic.

Andur Lylos could have been so much more, much as his wife had been.

Keera had smiled the first time one of the businessmen had mentioned her mother.

She had had so many questions these last few weeks.

Finally, she was starting to get some answers.

Mya Moritza had come to Oridanna and made her presence known almost immediately. She had arrived with nothing but the clothes on her back, but in a short time she had garnered the attention of almost every well to do man in Danna City. She was living in the finest dwelling, and being courted by the finest of suitors.

It was a surprise, hearing that about her mother.

It was a great surprise indeed.

To whoever the young Sith talked to, the same tale was told. The woman who would become her mother had been both persuasive and charming. Even with the coming war, she had made many a brave young man reconsider walking into battle, to think about what might be if they had had a woman such as Mya Moritza on their arm.

"Your mother could have had any life here she desired," one man said with a hint of sorrow in his voice.

"Even the Moff had been smitten, Mya could have had any mate she desired, but in the end she chose your father, a mere soldier," Another man added.

"Make no mistake, my lord. Grown men wept bitter tears of grief the day your mother walked down the aisle with her handsome soldier."

Keera considered that, she had not realized that mother had been so…popular.

"Did she ever say where she came from," Keera asked innocently, "She never talked much about her past."

No man in the crowd had an answer for her, most had believed that she had come from Dromund Kaas, she had spoken as if she had raised near the capital, at least for the first few weeks she had been here.

Keera filed that information for later.

If mother was from the capital; that might explain why it was so hard to find out anything about her past.

If she had made enemies, she might have taken steps to make sure that they could not follow her.

Perhaps those enemies had finally caught up with her, perhaps they feared that Keera might be a threat, her place among the Sith definitely made her a formidable enemy.

If those enemies had aided the rebellion, they would answer for it. Not simply because Keera was Mya Lylos' daughter, but because she wished to see the Empire thrive.

She wanted her people to be strong, which meant dealing with this rebellion and all who were involved with it.

If the mysterious Tahl Moritza had some connection to her mother she would find it. She would crush the man for daring to oppose her.

She welcomed that meeting.

It would be extremely satisfying.

As she had made her rounds, she had watched her fellow Sith closely. Darth Sadi seemed to be surprised by the people's reaction to Keera. The dark lord was not used to being upstaged; normally she was the one that men flocked around.

Keera reveled in the sense of confusion and jealousy she felt from the manipulative shutta.

Synestra said little, she watched Keera with the cool eye of a seasoned predator. Keera did not think for a moment that they were anything more than enemies. For the moment they had a common foe, but Synestra Feer would not hesitate to destroy her if she believed it in her best interest, or Bael's.

I need to be cautious, she realized, so many enemies, and so little time.

She needed to be mindful of whatever traps they would try to set for her.

She needed to be…very careful.

After her brief introduction to those in power, she found her way back to her followers, the members of her house. Her apprentices were the first to greet her. Xen, as always, stole the show; the golden gown she wore was slit in all the right ways. A simple turn of her head was enough to inspire lust in a man.

Keera noticed the jealous looks that many young men wore, especially when Xen snuggled closer to Beric.

Her brother did not seem to mind, if anything he enjoyed the fact that others were envious of him, that he would be the one to bed the beautiful young Sith at his side, and that anyone else could only dream of what she allowed him to do to her.

Dym wore fine black robes, with a hood, as an alien he was looked down upon by the humans at this celebration. He informed his master that he had thought to have Cynn Feer on his arm this evening.

"Another distraction for your enemies, yes?" the Muun said with a wicked smile. "I wonder how Lady Feer would have reacted to seeing her daughter here."

"It would have been interesting," Keera agreed, "But now is not the time to reveal all the cards in my hand."

She leaned in closer to the alien.

"You seem fond of our little filing clerk. Do you have intentions to be more than allies, Dym?"

The Muun snorted at that.

"I have no interest in human females, but that does not mean that I don't respect skill and brains."

He gave her a wide toothy grin.

"She is more than a mere pawn. You should make use of her. She could be far more valuable than you realize."

Keera nodded.

She would consider her apprentice's advice.

If Cynn Feer had more to offer; why not use it?"

Necris kept to the shadows, somehow not catching the attention of anyone, but those that knew her.

The Devish's eyes remained locked on Rink, who was escorting Commander Holli around the room. Keera could feel a sense of longing in the other woman. Despite her fascination with the dark side and death, it seemed that Necris was not above the idea of seeking out a little companionship.

Keera made note of it.

She was curious to see if Necris would go after what she wanted, or if she would choose to remain in the shadows.

It was a weakness that she might be able to exploit later.

She would watch and be ready to take advantage, if the time came.

Bleez had come up to her only once that night. The Warmaster's armor was polished to a mirror shine, a fine crimson cloak draped from the trooper's right shoulder.

"We need to discuss your schedule for next week, my lord," the trooper had said, "The meetings you have scheduled; they will be _**harrowing**_ to say the least."

Keera smiled.

The code phrase they had agreed upon had been given.

Bleez had set up everything, everything that the Sith had asked.

Now, all that was left was to wait….

…things were about to get interesting.

…Very interesting indeed.

Darth Sadi came up to her once, walking arm in arm with Bael. She introduced herself formally to the other members of House Avaryss.

Keera watched the exchange very closely.

If the woman was looking for a weak link, she would not find it.

Keera's servants were loyal to her.

It would take more than a look from a pretty dark lord to sway them from her side.

"Lieutenant Wilkes," Sadi had said to Ro, "I was unaware that you and young Avaryss knew each other?"

The dark lord smiled.

"Have you always been close friends?"

"Our families were always close, my lord," he replied, "Had fate been kinder, we may have been more than friends."

"Really," Sadi said looking back and forth between them.

"Isn't that interesting?"

Keera gave the woman a cold smile.

She was about to step in; remind the woman just who she was dealing with.

If she thought Ro was a weakness, she was gravely mistaken.

He was hers, and she would deal harshly with anyone who dared try to harm him.

"Lord Avaryss has always taken care of herself," he said to Sadi, "Her father taught her well, just as mine taught me."

He smiled innocently.

"That is the thing when you grow up around soldiers. You know how to deal with enemies."

Keera blinked.

What?

What was he doing?!

It had been a veiled threat, but a threat is what it was.

Ro had just threatened a dark lord!

Did he realize she would come to his aid if needed, or had he simply been showing off? She could not say for sure.

It was brave of him though, very brave, and just a little bit foolish.

She watched Sadi closely, trying to get a sense of how she might respond to what was said, if she was going to consider it insolence.

Bael grinned like the sadistic idiot he was.

He was no doubt eager to see how his master responded.

Sadi laughed dismissively.

"A good lesson to know, Lieutenant Wilkes," she said, "One I learned at an early age myself."

She smiled at Keera.

"Do enjoy the rest of the party, I'm sure we will all be very busy come the dawn."

Keera said nothing as her rival left, Bael still grinning at her side.

Keera gave no outward clue that she had been surprised.

Had Sadi figured out what was about to happen, or did the woman have plans of her own?

Regardless, it did not matter.

Things were already moving.

It was too late for Sadi to stop them now.

She looked at Ro, a hint of concern on her face.

"That was risky," she said to him.

"Maybe," he agreed, "But I couldn't just stand there and let her think she could strike at you through me."

He sighed.

"I wouldn't want you in that position."

Keera smiled.

_He __**does**__ understand_, she realized, _at least when it comes to power games._

Her body warmed at the thought of it, how eager he was to watch her back, to take care of her.

She swallowed hard.

Suddenly, she realized she had no further interest in this gathering. She had done what she had set out to do.

Everyone knew that Keera Lylos was back.

It is time to leave, she thought, Ro and I have things to do.

She had whispered in his ear, making the offer.

He smiled and nodded.

That is how it began, their flight from the party.

She was glad to go.

Everything was in readiness, now all she had to do was wait….

…and what would she do while she waited?

Ro was about to find out.

He would _**not**_ be disappointed.

Two years were a long time.

She was determined that it would not be any longer.

She knew what she wanted, and she would have it.

I've waited long enough, she thought.

It was time.

IOI

A winter wind battered the windows of her private quarters. Even with the privacy mode engaged, she could hear the keening of the gale.

It did not matter now, Keera thought, nothing mattered, not anymore.

She sighed contently.

At long last…she had found it…sweet release.

It was about damn time.

They lay dozing in her bed, she and her new lover and old friend, not a blanket or stitch of clothing between them, their bodies still slick with passion sweat.

Ro groaned in his sleep, turning slightly, his strong arms pulling her closer.

Keera did not resist, she snuggled closer to him, enjoying the feel of his body against hers, the maleness of his scent, and the gentle sound of his heartbeat.

Poor man, she thought, I fear that I've worn him out.

The thought pleased her.

So much for the belief that a mundane could not keep up with a Force sensitive; Ro had disproved that belief wrong tonight, several times, in fact.

The thought made her shiver with delight.

How long had she thought about this, wondered what it would be like?

Well, now she had her answer.

It had been well worth the wait.

She had barely closed the door to her quarters when he had seized her, pulling off her gown as she had pulled him to her, seeking his mouth with hers.

He had picked her up and carried her to the bed, throwing her down on the mattress as he had torn off his own clothes.

It had been…most exciting.

What had followed was a release that had been long denied, the curiosity of childhood finally sated. Keera had not resisted, she had been perfectly content to let Ro take the lead.

Beyond these walls, she was a mighty Sith, but in their bed, she was willing to be the yielding young woman that Ro desired.

She was willing to become everything he wanted, because in him finding what he wanted, she had found the release she had sought.

It was over quickly, they dozed, woke, and done it again, then again, and then…again.

Now as she lay in his arms, drifting between sleep and the waking world, she found herself slipping deeper into the Force. The passions she had indulged had left her in a state that her connection with the Force was far more open than it was normally.

She smiled as she let herself be taken away.

Let us see what the galaxy has in store.

As she rode the currents of the Force she found herself standing in the aisle of a transport ship. It was no military vessel, that was certain, she could tell by the people aboard, Imperial citizens, civilians that labored for the greater glory of both Oridanna and the Empire.

Good people, Keera thought, honest people.

These citizens were what helped make the empire great.

She could not hear their conversations; she was not strong enough in the Force to do so. She had no clear link with these people, they were simply citizens.

She watched as two children swatted at each other over the back of one of the seats. She saw two young lovers kissing and murmuring happily in each other's ears. A business man typed on a data pad, likely finishing up some business before finally retiring to be home with his family.

Keera sighed.

She could have tried to leave this place, let the Force carry her away, but she did not, she forced herself to stay, and watch.

They deserve this much, she thought.

I must remain here.

I must watch.

She was not sure how long she was there, how long she watched, but she felt it right before it happened, right before her world changed forever.

She took a deep breath.

It is time, she thought.

Finally it is time.

She took one last look at the people; she never wanted to forget these faces. She needed to remember them.

"I'm sorry," she murmured to no one at all.

Good bye.

The air around her turned white.

She shielded her chemically damaged eyes, and just like that…it was over.

The transport vanished; gone in a ball of orange and blue flame, the people were gone before they even had a chance to realize what had happened.

The children, the lovers, the businessman, they were all gone, them and all the people that travelled with them.

One hundred and fifty three souls, good imperials all.

Gone.

She floated in a smoky sky; wreckage raining down around her.

She took a deep breath and centered herself, drawing on the destruction around her.

It helped.

It calmed her nerves.

It is over, she thought.

It is done.

She opened her eyes, and once again she was in Ro's arms, once again she could feel his body pressed against hers, smell the maleness of him.

She sighed.

Some of the pleasure she had felt was gone, replaced with grim certainty.

What was done was done.

She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

She tried not to think of the children, the lovers and the businessman, or anyone else that had been on that ship.

She sighed, trying not to think about it.

What was done was done.

"Now," she murmured to the shadows…

"…We can begin."


	40. Toys

**Chapter 40: Toys**

_Such a small thing…_

Keera looked down at the object in her hand. The plastic figurine she had found at the crash site, the site of so much death and destruction.

Her fingers tightened around it.

…_Such a small and insignificant thing, and yet…somehow…it had survived, survived both the explosion and the crash. _

She shook her head.

So…small, and yet, at that moment, it had become infinitely precious to her, a symbol of what had needed to be done.

She ran her fingers over it, smooth in places, yet slightly melted. It should not have escaped the explosion, so much had been vaporized, but it had…

…She was not quite sure what to make of it, or of the emotions that it inspired.

It is nothing, she thought to herself, just a toy, a toy fashioned into the likeness of a Sith Trooper.

She found herself thinking about the child that had owned it. Had it simply been a plaything, or had it been something more? Did the boy or girl who played with it inspire to be more than what they were?

Did he, or she, desire to be a soldier one day? Had this little thing filled their imagination with dreams of what was to come? Had the child had the potential to be a Hero of the Empire? Potential that had now been…snatched away?

She tried not to think about it, not to imagine what **might** have been.

What was done was done, and it had **needed** to be done, it had been necessary.

NECESSARY.

She could not afford to forget that, if she did…she was likely lost.

Keera was back in her private quarters in the government tower. She had only just returned from the site of a tragedy. She had asked Ro to join her tonight, she…she did not wish to be alone. He had said he would, but only after he had spoken with his fellow peacekeepers, only when he was sure that the investigation was in good hands and well underway.

She said nothing about that, only pausing briefly to wish him well, he would not find anything, not anything that would lead him to the real truth anyway, but he would look. He would look because he was a good imperial, and she loved him for it, not as much as she loved Fenn, but she still cared, her affection was genuine, they had too much history to have anything but…

He will return, she knew, she would bring him to her side, and he would make love to her again, she welcomed it, that sweet release.

Emperor knew, she needed it right now

She had made a hard choice, and now…she had to live with it.

At least she would not have to be alone in her bed tonight, alone with nightmares.

She felt so bone weary, so mentally and physically exhausted that she could have thrown herself down onto her bed and slept for a week.

_But I can't sleep now;_ she realized morosely, _it would be some time, if ever, that she would be able to sleep restfully again._

If she closed her eyes the nightmares would be there, waiting for her

Cold accusing faces, people that she **should **have protected, that had _believed _that she **would** protect them.

She was not ready to face them.

Stop it, she thought angrily.

You are going to make yourself sick.

The pawns have been sacrificed, deal with it, and move on.

She knew that was what she should do, but still…her heart refused to let her forget.

What she had done was necessary, but that did not mean that she would not suffer for it.

It did not mean that she did not care.

She began to pace, glancing over at the bed, thinking about what had occurred in the last twenty four hours. What had happened had **needed **to happen, she did not doubt that, but that did not mean that she was completely okay with what had occurred.

It did not mean that there was no blame to be cast, and in that moment, Keera Lylos knew who was to blame most of all. All she had to do was look in the mirror.

She was responsible, but she had had no choice. The game had been impossible, unwinnable, now she had a chance.

It was necessary, but she hated herself for it, for having to make the choice.

She hated herself…

…and she likely would for the rest of her days.

IOI

While the celebration in the government tower had still been going on, while she and Ro had indulged their desires in her quarters, a large civilian transport ship had lifted off from the Danna City spaceport. It had been on its way to one of the settlements across the planet, people who had come to the capital for the celebration were either going home, or preparing to start a new work day.

One hundred and fifty three souls, plus a crew of twenty, fifteen minutes after they had left the spaceport; their ship had vanished in a flash of light and a ball of flame.

It was over quickly, so quickly that the people on board had likely not realized that they were doomed; the crew had not even gotten a chance to send out a distress call.

It was done quickly; no one had suffered, and that was good.

They had all been good imperials.

There had been no need to make them suffer.

It had been an hour after takeoff that Danna City control realized something had gone wrong. The shuttle had not sent any distress call, and with so many in the capital and other large settlements for the celebration few had seen what had happened. When the shuttle had failed to arrive at its destination, a search vessel was dispatched along the shuttle's route, to see if they had needed to set down, perhaps they had had some problem with their communication's system.

The search vessel had found the wreckage twenty minutes later, a burning path of destruction that went on for almost a kilometer. The tall grass burned where the wreckage had fallen from the sky. The winter winds had let up for the moment, praise the Emperor, had they not the entire field for miles around might have become an inferno.

Search teams and fire ships were dispatched, a servant had roused Keera from her bed, even though she was already awake, awaiting the news.

She and Ro had dressed quickly, saying little to each other, she could sense his anger and worry. Ro loved their people, and saw himself as their sworn protector.

I can't tell him the truth, Keera realized.

He would never understand.

She went to the site herself, walked among the wreckage, some of it still burning weakly, the foam for from the fire ships not having completely finishing the job.

She was clad not in the robes of the Sith, but the simple uniform of a security volunteer, the only acknowledgement of her station was her black cloak and the lightsaber clipped to her belt.

She also had chosen not to wear her helmet. She wanted the people to see her face, to know that Andur Lylos' daughter was there, and that she shared the pain of this loss…this tragedy.

She walked the scene as her father would have, her expression guarded and grim, gravely assessing the devastation.

It was what was expected of her, she was a Lylos after all.

Her people would be grateful to know that she cared.

As she walked a young lieutenant came up to her, he was part of the rescue team dispatched from the Danna Spaceport.

"There appear to be no survivors my lord," he informed her, "From the damage we are seeing, I'm guessing the ship's reactor overloaded. It is the only thing that I can think of that might cause such damage.

She nodded, but did not seek to confirm or deny his opinion.

"Get a scanning crew up here," she ordered, "I want this wreckage checked for any sign of sabotage or tampering."

The man nodded.

"It will be done, my lord. A scanning crew from the capital is already on route."

Good," she said, "See to your investigation lieutenant."

The man saluted and walked off quickly, eager to please his master.

Keera nodded pleased with his professionalism, and how things were progressing so far.

Still…

She frowned as she looked at the wreckage.

It was one thing to plan something like this, it was quite another to see it carried out.

Keera had no problem with collateral damage, or the killing of her enemies, this…however…felt different. It was different.

These people had been imperial citizens.

She did not like the fact that they had died.

She and Ro had come together; he was currently talking with one of the search team leads, hoping that at least someone had survived.

Keera knew how impossible that was.

The destruction had needed to be complete.

One hundred and fifty three Imperials dead was a _tragedy,_ but it was also…an **opportunity.**

As she walked she reached out with the Force, listening to the men and women who had come to search for the ship. Men and women who had come hoping to find survivors only to have those hopes dashed.

She listened closely to their words.

"Damn rebels," she had heard one man mutter.

"They will pay for this."

Despite the pain and the guilt she was feeling, Keera almost smiled.

_Yes,_ she thought.

_That was exactly the reaction she had been hoping for._

She went in search of someone from the information service, their agents were always skulking around at such times, looking for stories to broadcast over the Imperial holonet.

She needed them now; she had a statement to give. Everyone would soon know that the daughter of Andur Lylos had returned, and that she was…

She looked down, noticing something among the burnt grass, a small piece of black plastic.

She bent down and picked it up, a mere toy, a plastic figure, a representation of a Sith trooper.

She frowned as she looked at it, feeling in that moment the magnitude of what she had done.

So small, she had thought.

So…insignificant…

IOI

As she paced in her quarters, as she awaited Ro's return, her communicator suddenly beeped, startling her.

She sat the toy down on the desk and called it to her hand with the Force.

"Yes," she said briskly, angry that her thoughts had been interrupted.

"We are receiving a transmission from Dromund Kaas, my lord," the soldier on the other end informed her. "It is Lord Councilor Feer; he demands that you make contact with him."

Keera nodded, though she was also filled with an almost unreasoning rage.

Avy's master wanted to speak with her, well…too bad!

Avy was gone, and Keera was in command, but still…still…

She frowned.

It was not yet time to reveal herself to Lord Feer, not yet.

Once the rebellion had been crushed and Oridanna was hers, that would change, but for now.

She sighed.

She still needed to play the good apprentice, at least, for a while longer.

She went to the hyper-comm terminal and dropped to one knee.

She could give Feer no reason to suspect the change, no reason to believe that she had recommitted herself to his destruction.

She gestured with the Force, patching through the call from Dromund Kaas.

Darth Feer appeared before her. He was dressed in fine robes, his golden hair shorter and more spikey than she remembered. His golden Sith eyes fell upon her, his gaze cold and arrogant.

She resisted the urge to snarl at him, to hurl every insult and profanity she knew.

The man was a monster. He was scum.

She welcomed the day that she would peel the flesh from his bones.

"Apprentice," he said with a slight nod.

"My lord," she said dropping her head in a fake show of respect.

"What is thy bidding, my master?"

Feer laughed lightly.

"I wished to check in on you," he said, "It has been a while since we have spoken, and you have dealing with more than your share of distractions, is that not so, my child?"

She shook her head dismissively.

"It is nothing, my master. It is nothing that I can't handle."

"I see," he replied, looking like he did not completely believe her words.

Keera said nothing; she did not dare risk speaking out of turn.

She did not trust herself to let something slip and give the game away. There was too much history between her and Lord Feer, too much hate.

It took all her self-control to hold it in, to hide the truth from Avy's master.

"I've just finished speaking with Darth Sadi, my dear. She had many things to say about you."

"Good things, I hope, my lord."

"Hardly," Feer responded with a sneer, "She tried to convince me that you were not doing your job properly, that your response to the rebel problem has been both ineffective, and incompetent."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

So much for Sadi believing that she was a loyal pawn. Had Sadi learned something, or was this just another power game of her own, trying to maneuver someone more easily manipulated into the role of Inquisitor.

"I'm sorry to hear that, my lord," she replied, "Did Lord Sadi have a replacement for me in mind?"

"Bael…actually," he replied with a smile, "According to Darth Sadi his training has progressed smoothly, and that he is ready for more responsibility, that he would serve my needs far better in dealing with the Oridannan people."

Keera almost laughed at that.

If Feer could see the puppy dog looks that his son gave his master, he would know truly what was going on. The Lord of the Itae System did not want an Inquisitor to aid her; she wanted a lap dog that would nod happily at every decree that came from her pretty mouth.

Bael would be perfect for that, but as far as dealing with the rebellion, she had her doubts.

"Does Lady Synestra concur with that choice? She had a hand in Bael's training as well."

"That is the interesting part," Feer answered, "My darling wife spoke up in your defense. Though she does not consider you friend of our house, she does see you as a valuable ally, and that I should not act hastily in considering a replacement for you."

Keera was not entirely able to hide her surprise.

Then again, Synestra still believed her an ally against Sadi, and a means to save her son. Keera did not believe that was possible now, but she was not above offering false hope, not if it kept the lady in line.

"I've spoken with Lady Synestra since her arrival. I tried to stress my desire to serve our house to her."

She managed a humble smile.

"It seems that she has taken me at my word.

Feer nodded thoughtfully.

"So it seems," he said thoughtfully, giving her a curious look.

"Why do I get the feeling that there is more to this story? Why do I sense that there has been some kind of alliance here?"

Keera did not answer, she did not need to.

Her master's suspicions were not without merit, and in this, they were in fact true.

What he did not realize was that there was more going on than her seeking an ally to depose Sadi. If everything went as planned, Synestra Feer would be useful in the downfall of her husband as well.

It was a dangerous game she was playing, but the reward was more than worth it.

She simply had to keep her wits about her, and be mindful.

Feer's time was coming soon.

"Sadi also sent me a recording of your most recent speech, the one you gave this very morning."

He gave her a sly smile.

"I'm told that there had been a shuttle crash, and that the rebels were involved, is that true?"

"So it appears, my master," Keera answered. "The passenger ship was destroyed shortly after takeoff. The circumstances behind this tragedy are…questionable to say the least."

"And you are certain that it was the rebels? I've read your reports; they seem to be a collection of do-gooders not the type to target civilians so openly."

Keera shrugged.

"Perhaps they have come to realize that their tactics were not working. They have been relying on the Empire using heavy handed tactics to inspire the people to their cause. The campaign that I've chosen has been one of minimal force; I've sought to give the rebels no more ammunition to use against our forces."

Keera shook her head.

"Maybe they realize that they could not provoke me. Maybe they seek to scare the people into compliance, attacking would-be Imperial sympathizers, trying to bring the more radical fringe here on Oridanna to their aid."

Keera gave him a cold smile.

"Of course, I have more than just suspicion. One of Moff Galek's scanning crews analyzed the site; they detected trace elements consistent with the explosives used in previous rebel attacks. It is not a declaration of responsibility by these terrorists, but it is enough to get people thinking."

"Useful evidence to be sure," Feer agreed, and then he laughed.

"How fortunate for you, that the rebels would choose now to change tactics."

Keera frowned.

"I do not consider the death of so many innocent imperial citizens as a fortunate occurrence, my master."

"True," he agreed, "But it is most…fortuitous."

Her master leaned in closer.

"Sadi sent me a recording of the speech you gave at the site of this…tragedy. It was quite fiery; I can see why the people responded so well to it."

"I merely spoke my heart, my master," she answered.

Keera found herself thinking back on the last few words of her impromptu speech.

"Andur Lylos always looked out for you, he never abandoned you, and in his memory, his daughter will do the same. I swear on the name of my father, that this cowardly act of betrayal will be avenged. I will not rest until the ones responsible for this die screaming at my feet. They will answer, and in the end justice will be served. The guilty will suffer, and as they die screaming they will know the truth. You cannot escape the Empire. You will **answer** for your crimes. YOU! WILL! ANSWER!"

Many of the people at the site had been listening, some had even cheered that Andur Lylos' daughter would be going after the rebels, that a Lylos would be delivering justice, as they always had.

Keera had been most pleased, and it had not even been a lie.

Though Bleez had arranged the bombing under her orders, it was the rebels and Lord Feer that were truly to blame. If they had just accepted their fate and bowed down, such brutality would not have been necessary.

She would not forgive herself for what she had to do, but she would see that Darth Feer and the rebels were punished most horribly for their role in all this.

They forced my hand, and they will die squealing for it. All the pain and guilt that I endure will seem like a night in a pleasure house compared to what is coming to my enemies.

They will pay for making me do this.

They will pay.

Feer chuckled.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"Does what hurt, my lord?"

"The fact that you needed to take matters into your own hands; that you needed to arrange an incident to draw the rebels out?"

Keera frowned.

"I had nothing to do with this, my lord. It was the rebels."

"Of course it was, my child, but I would certainly understand if there was more to the story, and I would be proud."

Keera frowned.

What in the Emperor's name was Feer doing?!

Did he expect her to confess over an open channel, to inform him that she had carried out her plan just to please him?"

She almost laughed herself.

The fool!

She could afford no loose-ends; she would say nothing to unravel what she had done here. Too many lives had been lost.

"I would never harm our people," she told him flatly, lying to his face.

"I could never do anything like that."

"Yet, you have killed innocents before, that business on Myrnn for example."

Keera's frown deepened.

That had been Avy's doing, but it had also been different. The people on Myrnn were not Imperials; they were republic citizens, enemies of the Empire. As for the people that died in the firestorm on Nar Shadda they had not been innocents either, they had been either cowards fleeing the war, or Hutt loyal criminals that had little or no value to her plans.

No, she did not like killing innocents, and the people on that transport had been innocent, they were good citizens, like her parents had been.

She would mourn their deaths, and make them matter when she ascended to her throne.

Those deaths would not be in vain.

She would give their lives meaning.

"The rebels did this," she said coldly, "And they will answer for it."

"As you wish," Feer said dismissively, though she sensed he was not entirely happy that she had kept the truth to herself.

I will not risk this game to feed your vanity, old man.

I sacrificed too much with this gambit already.

"Have the rebels responded to this attack," he asked, "Have they denied their involvement?"

"Not yet, my master," she replied, "But it does not matter if they do. The more they deny it, the more guilty that will make them look. People will see through their lies and rally to daughter of an Imperial hero…"

She grinned triumphantly.

"They will rally to me."

He gave her a cool look.

"I'm surprised that you would so openly embrace your past," he said, "I thought you had left Keera Lylos behind you, long ago."

Keera almost laughed at that.

Oh how little you know, you old fool!

"It was necessary to embrace the past," she informed him, "Avaryss was an outsider; Keera Lylos was someone that the people could trust, someone who understood their pain."

"Many have accepted me already, the rest will follow soon."

She bowed her head in submission.

"This world will be pacified, and it will all be yours again, my master."

She tried not to smile as she spoke the next part, the lie that would hopefully seal the deal.

"Oridanna will be a jewel in the crown of our new ruler, and I think you can guess who that will be."

Feer smiled.

"It seems that you have matters well in hand, my child. I would prefer you be more open, but…you may keep your secrets for now."

"I have no secrets, my lord," she said, "Only my respect and loyalty for you."

He nodded again, radiating a sense of pleasure.

"Continue your work, daughter, bring what is rightful mine to me."

Keera stifled a laugh.

"You will get everything you deserve, master," she promised, "You may count on that."

Feer chuckled and raised his hand.

"May the Force serve you well, my child. Feer out."

The hologram vanished leaving her alone, both with her desire to slay him, and her newly developed sense of self hatred.

Both were useful to a Sith.

Both could lead to great power.

She rose from hyper-comm and began to pace again. She was looking forward to Ro's return, eager to feel his touch, and to have something else to focus on besides what needed to be done.

She sighed, and picked up the Sith trooper doll she had found among the wreckage.

"We are all just toys," she murmured, "Only by acknowledging that do we have a chance to become more."

That thought made her smile.

I will not be Feer's toy much longer, but first I have to finish bringing this troublesome world of mine to heel.

All she could do now was await the rebel response to what had happened. Would they deny it, or do something more clever?

She was more eager to see.

I've removed a pawn from the board, now I must wait for my enemy to respond.

It would not be easy waiting, but it was…as everything else necessary.

I'm waiting she thought, trying not to think about the people that died, their haunted eyes staring accusingly at her. She tried to focus on Tahl Moritza and his allies.

It is time, rebels, she thought.

Your move.


	41. Monsters

**Chapter 41: Monsters**

_The Shadow's Embrace was dying…just as it had done before._

_Keera found herself staggering down the ship's burning corridors, just as she had done once before; once again…she was trying to reach the escape pods._

_Her head was still ringing from the explosion, she was not exactly sure how she had survived, the rest her team were gone, atomized, when the Jedi trap had been sprung._

_No she thought, not just a Jedi trap, but Shyra Viel's trap._

_The mongrel's trap._

_The thought filled her with impotent anger and killing rage._

_Damn her, she thought with an angry hiss._

_Damn her to hell!_

_She had tried not to think of all the things she had lost that day. Project Death Knell would be destroyed, or at the very least set back years, and all because of a Jedi with a grudge._

_It was all so…disappointing._

_A door behind her exploded, it was followed by a loud whistling, the sound of decompression, the emergency bulk head sealed, but that would not stop the ship from dying._

_She had to get out of here._

_She had to get out of here…NOW!_

_Yes, if she did not hurry, she would be done, her destiny would end here. The ship shook around her; she could almost feel the other bulkheads exploding, the contents and people within being jettisoned into space._

_It was not a fate she desired._

_She could not die here, she couldn't._

_There was still too much to do._

_She had almost made it to the escape pods when she realized she was being pursued, she spun around, her blade in hand, ready to meet the threat, but all but froze when the door behind her opened and she saw what it was that was pursuing her._

_No…_

_Oh no!_

_They had been imperials once, innocent men, women and children, now they were all burning, lurching corpses hungry for her blood, eager to tear her apart with sharpened crisped fingers._

_Her sacrifices._

_Her victims._

_The bile rose in her throat._

_No, you cannot be here!_

_NO!_

"_You can't be here!" she shouted at them._

"_You didn't die here!"_

_If the monsters heard her they did not show it, they simply continued to pursue her, their bony fingers reaching out for her, eager to seize her, and tear her to shreds._

_She saw one move away from the others, a small boy; he reached out with only one hand, in the other he held the toy she had taken from the crash site…_

…_seeing that; it made her shudder._

_This isn't right, she thought._

_They don't understand; there was no malice in my choice to kill them._

_They don't understand._

_She stopped, stood her ground._

_A Sith knows no fear._

_She would face these specters; they would know why they had died._

_They deserved that much._

_Though…she still felt uneasy, a sense of guilt and shame._

_No one understands, and no one ever would._

_It was at that moment she heard them, their voices hissing their lungs filled with smoke and flame._

"_Why," they hissed over and over again._

"_Why?!"_

"_It was necessary," she shouted, "I…I didn't want to hurt anyone, but I had NO choice. The rebels HAVE to be stopped."_

_She had tears in her eyes as she looked at them, hoping, praying that they would understand._

"_I will give your deaths meaning, I promise. Your end will be the rallying cry that will save the Empire. Your sacrifice will save Oridanna! I'm sorry you had to die, but it was…necessary! Please believe me."_

_She looked at them with pleading eyes, begging for them to understand._

"_Please."_

_Their response was not what she wanted._

_As one, they howled and charged, forcing her to run, her weapon unlit, useless before the horde. She could feel them grasping at her tattered cloak, pulling burning strands of hair from her head._

"_Liar," they hissed as one._

"_LIIIIIIIIAAAAAR!"_

_Explosions continued to rock the deck, the Shadows' Embrace was not long for this galaxy, the research vessel was about to die, and she with it…_

…_but there was still hope, the escape pods were just up ahead, she was going to reach them, just as she had done before._

_She was going to escape._

_She was going to live!_

_She could distantly hear her mother's voice, the lullaby from her youth. Even now she could still hear it, feel it in her bones._

_You are almost there, sweetheart._

_You are so close._

_Come home._

_Come home._

_I'm coming mother, she wanted to shout._

_I'm coming!_

_She slammed her palm down on the button, the one that would open the nearest escape pod._

_The hatch hissed open and she went to dive inside, but…she could not…_

_Ro Wilkes stood in her path; he was blocking her entrance, stopping her from escaping._

"_Ro," she gasped, "We have to go, the ship is…"_

_He glared at her._

"_Traitor," he hissed, and before she could respond he shoved her as hard as he could, out of the escape pod, and into the arms of her many victims._

"_NO!" she cried out._

"_NOOOO!"_

"_You deserve this Keera," he said as burning fingers tore into her flesh._

"_Murderer."_

_She cried out, begging for help, feeling the flames as they burnt her skin._

"_Keera," she heard Ro's voice in a distance calling to her._

"_Keera."_

_She shrieked as one of the victims slashed at her throat._

_Keera," Ro repeated._

"_Wake up."_

IOI

"NOOO!"

Keera sat up in bed, gasping for air; she looked around quickly looking for the ones who had been attacking her, the ones that had been trying to tear her apart.

They were gone; there were no burning corpses in her chambers, only shadows, and the sound of the winter wind outside.

It was nothing, she thought, trying to regain control of herself.

It was just a dream.

She took a deep swallow of air.

Emperor save me, she thought.

Just another dream!

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, a strong hand.

Ro's hand.

That's right, she realized.

She remembered now.

She had taken him to her bed shortly after he had arrived. After the chaotic day she had had, she had needed him, needed his touch, the warmth of his body.

He had not refused her request, he had needed it too. She had done her best to make sure that was as pleased as she was by their…coupling.

She had not been disappointed, and if she was not mistaken, he had not been either.

They had both found what they were looking of this night.

Yet…the nightmare had still come for her. She had not found rest or release.

Damn, she thought.

What else am I going to have to do?

She glanced over at Ro, despite the darkness in her quarters she could see his eyes, his bare chest; his muscles slick with passion sweat.

_A delicious view, but one slightly tainted by the shadows of her nightmare_.

She tried to forget about it, to focus on what was in front of her, who was next to her.

That is what mattered, not a dream, but this.

Life was for the living.

The dead were dead.

Are you okay," Ro asked, "You were shaking like a leaf."

She managed a weak smile.

"A nightmare," she said, "It was nothing."

"A nightmare," he said nodding, "Not surprising…considering what we faced today."

She nodded back.

Yes, she thought.

He was not wrong.

She willed her heart to slow, she breathed in and out. Her memory of what had happened earlier returning, why she was not alone.

Ro had come to her quarters as she had desired, he had even brought her food, somehow knowing that she had not eaten this evening.

His kindness had touched her; it was sweet that he knew so much about her, despite everything that had happened in the years since they had parted.

He definitely more than just another mundane…

…far more.

Their connection was strong. It always had been.

She welcomed that…connection, and rewarded him well, the one thing that they would both enjoy.

He accepted her reward with resistance or complaint, and performed magnificently, leaving her both exhausted and sore in all the right places.

She had hoped his presence would be enough to forget the details of her most recent plan.

She had been wrong.

The nightmare had been waiting for her, her recent success adding a cruel twist to it.

She should not have been surprised.

Success, it seemed, always had a price.

She simply had to be strong enough to pay it.

She glanced up at Ro, feeling his concern through the Force, but at the same time seeking to distance herself from him.

Was what she had dreamed just her insecurities, or had the dark side been trying to tell her something?

Had it been trying to warn her?

A lover could be enjoyable, but, as with all things, there were risks.

If Ro found out what she had done to that transport…

…her nightmare might just become a reality.

She took another deep breath, trying to forget the last few moments of the dream, of him flinging her back into the arms of her victims.

She tried to forget the cold look in his eyes, the accusations he had shouted when she had been ripped apart.

"You deserve this Keera."

"Murderer."

He leaned in, and kissed her softly on the lips, she shivered as he ran a finger down her spine. He kissed his way down her neck.

She sighed, losing herself to the pleasure.

"Lay back," he said in a husky voice.

"Let me help you forget that nightmare."

She moaned, wanting to do just that, but…something stopped her.

She needed to get away, just for a moment.

She needed to think.

She pulled away, out of his arms, and somehow managed to find her feet, to get out of the bed, and away from his touch.

"Where are you going?" he asked playfully.

"Come back here."

"I'm thirsty," she replied, trying to hide any sense of insecurity she felt in that moment. She made for the wine bottle on her desk, the one she kept for honored guests.

She could certainly use a bit of that tonight.

She found herself thinking about the nightmare, about what had happened and how it ended.

It was just a dream, sure, but it also reminded her that her next move had to be handled very carefully.

The rebels would respond to what had happened.

She simply needed to figure out how best to turn that reaction to her advantage.

Her concern over that response was more than enough to kill any playfulness she would have felt normally in this situation.

She hated that she could not relax with Ro, she hated that she could not tell him everything.

Yet, at the same time, she felt something else as well.

Something…powerful.

Part of her wanted it, welcomed it, but again she could not tell Ro…

He would not understand.

Though she felt guilt for the destruction of that civilian transport, felt shame for the deaths she had caused, she felt something else as well…

…Something far more…**gratifying.**

Keera had always considered herself a good Imperial. She had been raised to be one. She had done her best to keep Avy's less than desirable traits and tendencies in check.

A Sith did what was necessary, but sometimes her other half was far more ruthless than she needed to be. At the time, Keera had believed that such cruelty was unnecessary, that the day could be won through more pragmatic and less bloody means.

She had wanted to believe that preserving the Empire was more important than the whims of a dark lord. That a Sith should do what they could to help preserve the Empire. The citizens and resources of the Empire were all valuable tools, and should not be cast aside lightly.

She still believed that, wanted to believe that, but at the same time…

…at the same time…

Her eyes narrowed.

What she had done, the choice she had made, it seems that the dark side had taken notice of that choice, taken notice, and…approved.

She had sacrificed those people for the greater good, for the defeat of the rebellion. It seemed that the dark side approved of that sacrifice, accepted it as an offering, and rewarded her accordingly.

Since first sensing the explosion of the transport, she felt…different…stronger, she could reach out now, and feel almost everyone in this tower, their fears, their hopes, and dreams.

She had never had this degree of sensitivity before.

Was this some kind of reward, she had to wonder.

Had destroying those innocents been worth more than simple political gain?

…And if they were…?

_What would a __**larger **__sacrifice yield to her?_

_Maybe it would be worth it to find out._

If the destruction of a single ship increased her power in the dark side; if the deaths of a hundred and fifty people made her stronger; what would the death of a thousand people do?

What would the death of a million people feel like?

The thought made her shudder.

Surely that could not be how this game was played?

"_Why not,"_ the darkness seemed to ask.

_The weak live to the service the strong; why should they not give of themselves to make you stronger, even in death…_

…_**especially**__ in death._

She tried not to think about that last part.

She liked what she was feeling, but…the guilt…

…was it truly worth it?

When she had visited the crash site, she had taken Exar Kun's stone with her, hid it in the palm of her mechanical hand. While she had walked among the wreckage, she had tried to sense the death that Necris had described, the power that was left over when something passes into the Force.

She had felt…something, but had not been able to draw upon it. The fact that these people had been loyal imperials held her back stopped her from taking full advantage of their end.

She had told herself that it was a matter of respect, these people had given their lives to further her cause, she saw no reason for them to give more, let them find their rest in the Force, if it was possible, but now….looking back…

She frowned.

Had her choice been about respect, or had it been a moment of weakness?

Should she not have taken everything that she could?

She poured herself a glass of wine and downed it with two quick swallows, letting the liquor burn its way down her gut.

Where did respect end, and weakness begin?

She would need to find the answer to that question.

As she stood in the shadows, she could feel Ro watching her, his eyes never leaving her unclothed form. She should have felt self-conscious, but in this moment, she found that she really did not give a damn.

It was not like Ro had not seen it all already? It was not like he had not touched or kissed anything that he could not already see.

She could sense his lust, but also…something else.

She could sense…concern.

"Something on your mind," she asked with a smirk, "Besides me, of course?"

Her lover shrugged.

"You don't have to hide anything from me, you know that right?"

His question stopped her in her tracks.

Hiding?

What did he mean by that?

She was not…?

Did he know about what she had done?

Had he figured it out?

"I don't know what you mean," she replied, trying to keep her voice even, "What do you think that I'm hiding?

"Your arm," he said pointing, "When you walk away you put in front of you where I can't see it. When you turn to face me you put it behind your back."

Her lover shook his head.

"You don't have to hide it from me Keera. There is no shame in losing a limb in battle, far too many we've known have, especially those that serve the Empire."

Keera nodded.

Oh, that is what he meant; she felt her heartbeat returning to normal.

She smiled, and held up her mechanical arm, wiggling the fingers.

"Most people that I've dealt with find it disturbing. It is no mere cybernetic, as you can tell."

"It is part of you," he said, "How could I ever be disturbed by something that was part of who you are?"

His response made her smile.

Such a softy, she thought, or perhaps he was simply a hopeless romantic.

Either way, she liked what she was hearing.

As much as he missed Fenn, Ro was quickly proving to be the perfect place holder, and he was likely just what she needed to see her plans through, to finally finish off the rebellion and return to Dromund Kaas in victory.

Provided that she make no more mistakes…

…She needed to be extremely cautious in what happened next.

The rebels would be destroyed, and she would profit from their end.

She poured two more glasses of wine, bringing one to him, and sitting down on the bed, Ro accepted it with a nod, and drank it slowly, his expression thoughtful.

"Why did you think they did it," he asked her.

"Who?"

"The Rebels, why do you think they thought it a good idea to blow up a civilian transport?"

Ro sighed.

"I don't see any possible value for such an attack. None."

Keera smiled.

In this she was in familiar territory, she had thought long and hard how to answer this question.

She still needed to be careful though, Ro was not some uneducated fool, he was a skilled investigator, and a good imperial.

She could not afford to show any hesitation, any guilt at all.

"Fear, I suspect," she replied with a shrug, "Their tactics to shift support away from the Empire have not been working, and so they tried a new one. They wish to scare people away from supporting the Empire, or maybe they will simply try to blame the attack on us, claiming that we are trying to manipulate the people."

The last part brought a smile to her face.

Hiding a lie so close to the truth was never a bad move; in fact, it made things much more believable.

From the look on Ro's face, he certainly was considering it.

"It could also have been carried out by fanatics, maybe even Republic agents hidden within the Empire itself."

"That is true," she agreed.

"So shouldn't we start by hunting down them, showing the people that the Empire is looking out for their best interest, and more than able to bring such murderers to justice?"

"That is exactly what I intend to do, Ro, but I can also use what happened to remind all the loyal citizens out there that the Rebellion not to be trusted, that they are monsters that support only chaos and anarchy."

"Is that how you see the rebels? Do you think they are monsters?"

"I believe that they are misguided, and speaking to person one on one, as we are speaking now, that is the stance I would give. The people as a whole, however, need something more…grandiose, they need an enemy to oppose; an enemy to keep them unified in these troubled times.

"A person can be smart and reasoned with; people can be panicky herd animals, as we both know. The trick is to push the herd where we need it to go, for their own good, of course."

Ro nodded, but still…she sensed he remained…skeptical.

"I want this rebellion stopped as much as you do, Keera, but I would rather no more innocents die in our trying to end it. The people of our world have suffered enough."

Again she felt a flicker of doubt in her breast.

Did he know what he was saying?

Did he suspect the truth?

She could not say for sure, and quite frankly, it did not matter.

When the rebels denied what had happened with that transport, it would only make them look more guilty, that they were trying to place the blame on the evil Sith, and on the other side, you would have Andur and Mya Lylos' daughter promising to defend the people in the name of slain parents.

Who were the people more likely to believe, rebels that would likely ally with the Republic and Jedi, or the daughter of a trusted son of Oridanna, a figure well known for his honesty and fairness.

Keera almost laughed.

What an interesting snare she had made for the rebels.

It would be most intriguing to see how they tried to fight their way out of it.

The thought of her cleverness, and the blood that was to come, reignited Keera's passions, she had grown weary of speaking of this, and Ro was right here, already in her bed, already willing.

She took his wine glass away and kissed him deeply, he responded to her touch with the barest of resistance.

She pulled back with a sly smile.

"Enough of such dark talk," she purred, "Let us focus on something…more satisfying."

He grinned.

"You have an idea on that point, Lylos?"

"Here," she said gently pushing him down onto the bed.

"Let me show you."

IOI

It did not take long for the rebels to respond to what had happened, not that Keera had expected it to.

They can afford to wait too long, she realized, the longer they wait, the more we can spin what happened to our advantage.

She and Ro had been having breakfast when Colonel Glasc arrived, the man had demanded to see her immediately, her guards had stopped him; after all, she had ordered them to not let her be disturbed. Glasc, being who he was had responded with the usual veiled threats of a loyalty officer; he had been on the verge of threatening them both with accusations of the treason if they did not step aside.

Keera, not wishing to antagonize the man any further, granted him access. She was, of course, curious about what he had to say.

As it turned out, she was not disappointed.

"My Lord," Glasc said excitedly, almost out of breath from his journey here," You need to the see this."

He placed a small holo device on the table, the kind used for recording messages.

She gave Glasc an arched look.

_What was this now?_

The man glared at Ro, who simply smiled when the loyalty officer noticed his presence. Keera was not sure if Glasc understood what it meant that Ro was here so early in the morning, and she did not care.

The affairs of a dark lord were above Glasc's petty games, he could go crying to master about who she chose to "fraternize" with, but that is where the title of Darth came in.

Being a Darth did offer her some autonomy, she could spend her nights with whoever she chose, provided they did not harm her position in the Empire.

Feer would likely suggest caution, but she doubted it.

Once she had dealt with the rebellion, he would have little or no reason to care, and besides, he had his own schemes to worry about.

She doubted that he would care one way or the other who was sharing her bed at night.

"What is it Glasc," she said, her voice taking on a cold and icy edge.

"I do hope you are not wasting my time."

The loyalty officer grinned.

"See for yourself, my lord," he said barely stifling a cackle.

"They are more foolish than we thought."

She did not bother touching the device, simply reached out with the Force and turned it on.

The image that appeared made her snap to attention.

_Oh my._

_Isn't this interesting?"_

A familiar robed and masked figure appeared before her eyes. She had only seen an image of him once before, and that one was both grainy and hard to see any detail, but still…she knew who it was.

Tahl Moritza.

They we finally forced you out of hiding, she thought with a smile.

Good.

What came next surprised, her both surprised, and at the same time, made her question what was going on.

It was a most unexpected message indeed.

"I'm Tahl Moritza, and me and mine are the voice of the resistance," he began, "And we are now putting all so called loyal imperials on notice. Your decision to support those that have oppressed us for so long has not gone unnoticed, and now…your punishment has begun."

The image changed, showing a passenger transport in flight, at first Keera had thought it just stock footage, some attempt to try and shift the blame of what had happened to the Empire.

The ship in the image exploded violently, just as the one had done the night of the festival.

Keera's eyes narrowed.

So, she realized, the rebels were watching that night.

Interesting.

"The rebellion has struck its first blow against those that wish to see imperial rule on Oridanna continue," Tahl Moritza went on; "Two days ago we destroyed a transport leaving the capital, a transport loaded with traitors and Imperial enablers."

Moritza leaned in closer to the holo cam his masked face filling the hologram, growing larger for all to see.

"Let this be a message to all Imperials, including Darth Feer's puppet, our so called Inquisitor. Beware daughter of Andur Lylos; your suffering has just begun!

"Beware…and be warned."

The message ended, the holo faded from view.

Keera sat there, dumbstruck not really sure what to say.

She stared at the device, more confused than she had been before.

She…she did not understand.

She didn't get it.

She looked at Glasc.

Are we the only ones that have received this?"

"No, my lord," he answered, "They have been distributed all over the planet. I think the rebels wanted the people to know that they were behind the attack."

Keera pursed her lips.

But that was just it, she thought.

They weren't responsible; they had not even tried to deny it.

Why take credit for **her** actions?

She did not understand.

What did Moritza have to gain by playing the villain here? He was one, of course, but still…she…she did not understand.

She looked at Ro, whose expression was not as grim as Glasc's was gleeful.

He knew what this meant.

"Looks like you were right about the rebels," he said, "It seems like we have a real fight on our hands now."

"So it does," Keera agreed.

They would need to strike hard and fast now. The people would be furious with the rebels now, those that were not afraid of reprisal would likely do whatever they could to help the Empire deal with this new, more dangerous, threat.

"They were fools to send that message, my lord," Glasc said, "The rebels have just made themselves enemies of everyone on Oridanna!

The man laughed.

"We could not have asked for better news."

Keera nodded, though she remained skeptical. She looked at Ro, playing at being the loyal Oridanna, but in her core, she was in turmoil.

Tahl Moritza was no fool, and yet he had played fool's hand. Why make so many enemies at once if you did not need to, what was his game?

Something more subtle, she suspected, still Glasc was right, they could not have asked for more, this was a gift to the Empire.

The only question now, was why?

What was in it for Moritza?

Why play the monster now?

Why?


	42. A Darth

**Chapter 42: A Darth**

_They're all going to die._

The realization brought a smile to Keera's face.

As she stared through the binocs at the squatter camp in the distance, she felt a stirring in her breast, a sensation that she had not felt in a very long time, and with that sensation, she came to a realization, a sense of understanding she had not felt since the earliest days of her Sith training.

_She had been mistaken, for so many years now she had been wrong, __**absolutely **__wrong._

_She had focused for too long on the wrong things and now…finally…_

…_she had found her way back to the truth._

It was a truth that had been born out of a lie, a lie that the enemy had picked up and decided to run with.

That choice would be their undoing.

That choice had changed everything.

The fight against the rebellion here on Oridanna had changed overnight. No longer did the rebels cloak themselves in righteousness, pretending to be the saviors of the people.

Keera was not sure what had motivated them to make that choice, but it had played into hands. In the three days since the rebels' announcement they had struck two more civilian targets, distancing themselves from the people that had sheltered them, believed in them.

People that now fell into the hands of Keera Lylos and the Sith Order.

She didn't understand their reasoning, why they would do this, and, for the most part, she no longer cared.

The point is that they had chosen to play the villain, and by doing so made her the hero of her people.

It was a role she was happy to play.

The first step in playing that role was to win a major victory over the rebels, not an easy challenge, but possible now that her enemies had chosen to play the aggressor. Informants, who did not wish to be killed the crossfire, offered the Empire much in finding a target for their first real strike.

Keera had been pleased, and a bit disappointed by that turn of events.

Yes, they were learning about the rebels, but sadly very little was known about Tahl Moritza, if their sources were to be believed the man was in four places at once, maybe more.

It would take time to track the elusive terrorist down, but Keera was not concerned.

We will get him, but first…

…we need to make an example out of some of his followers.

The squatter camp had been chosen because of several key pieces of information. The first being that there was a rumored cache of weapons stored here, weapons used in various rebel strikes in the past few months. The second reason was that several attacks on Imperial holdings had been conducted in this region, given the closeness to the settlement of Worro; it was a safe bet that the rebel recon teams had got their information there. Destroying Worro was an impossibility at this time, too much of the war effort depended on all the settlements remaining intact. The squatter camp served no purpose, and it was close enough to Worro to serve as a lesson to what happens to those that oppose the Sith.

Yes, the camp would be destroyed and there would be no survivors

The message would be sent.

The third reason for the attack was the most blatant one, the one that meant the most to her personally.

Tahl Moritza had been spotted here two days ago, or at least, someone wearing his mask and cloak. If it had been him; if this place was important to him in some way, so much the better; it gave her the chance to send a message.

He would get her message, and he would finally know fear, at least…that is what she hoped.

Keera's heartbeat quickened as the troopers around her moved back and forth, preparing for the dawn raid, the sky was already starting to lighten, soon it would be time.

She smiled.

The rebels would die squealing.

Because that is what truly mattered, pain and fear were what were important.

Everything else…was a distraction.

Plots, schemes, titles, the power games that the other lords played on Dromund Kaas, and elsewhere they were nothing to a true dark lord, they were distractions from what truly mattered, what made a Sith a Sith.

She had not seen. She had been distracted by the games, both her own and that of others. She had been too _inexperienced_, too _blind_. Only now was she finally starting to see, to understand the weight of the Darth's title.

_Marr should never have given Avy that title. Maybe he thought she could be better controlled if she thought she owed him for granting her such a position, but that had not been the case at all._

The title had become a chain around her neck, and each impossible mission that the Council gave her only tightened that chain, choking the life and ambition out of her, blinding her to the truth, and what a beautiful truth it was.

Political strength meant **nothing**; that kind of power was for fools and amateurs, fools that did not understand the true nature of the dark side.

She no longer counted herself among those fools; she had allowed herself to be blinded for so long, but now…no more.

The veil had finally been torn from her eyes, she could see what was to come, and it was _**glorious.**_

The change that had started on Nar Shadda was progressing nicely. The destruction of that civilian transport had only accelerated it, though she still felt some degree of shame for what was done, she could not deny that she had been amply rewarded for her courage and sacrifice.

For the first time, since she had stood before that Sith monument back on Fury 9, she felt the dark side singing within her. What it was like to feel power and not be afraid to wield it. No concern for what her master would think? No fear of what her servants and fellow Sith would say.

She felt…_free_ for the first time, and in that pure moment of bliss….she was whole!

Her emotions were laid bare and raw, and with those emotions came great power.

_Through power I gain victory._

_Through Victory my chains are broken._

_The Force shall free me._

And now…victory was so close, just waiting for her to claim it.

She could hardly wait.

She sneered as she stared through the binocs, looking at the squatter camp, one of many that dotted the surface of Oridanna.

_They know we're here_, she realized, watching as the displaced citizens tried to rise up; they constructed barricades and set traps for the soon to be advancing Sith troops.

_Brave_, she thought, _but in the end…foolish._

_Their meager defenses would not save them._

_They were all about to die._

She lowered the binocs and handed them back to the young officer at her side, he was but one of the four squads of Sith troopers that had accompanied her on this mission. Each force was backed up by a single Imperial Walker, bringing their strike team true ground superiority, and if it that was not enough; Keera had yet another card up her sleeve.

She had not come alone; all four of her enforcers had come, as well as Xen and Dym.

_This will not be a fight_, she realized, _it would be a massacre._

The thought made her heart pound llke a war drum, adrenalin flooded her veins.

She could barely contain her desire.

She could not wait to begin.

"Lord Avaryss?"

She frowned as that name passed the lips of the lieutenant at her side; she hated that name, but needed to keep it for a while longer.

"Yes," she hissed, "What is it?"

"Darth Sadi demands you make contact with her," he said holding up his data pad, showing her the report from the group's comm officer.

Keera rolled her eyes.

_Seriously,_ she thought.

_We have been here all night, Sadi could have contacted me at any time, and now she chooses to do so, right when we about to begin…_

…_Right when we are about to bring death and destruction down upon my enemies?_

She shook her head angrily.

The gall of that woman!

The gall!

She turned from the coming storm and made for the comm tent in the heart of their camp. Her troopers had made no attempt to hide their approach from the distant enemy camp. Keera had hoped to lure the fools either into attacking them, or to try and scatter. The former would have been repelled easily enough, the latter would have made it easier to pick them off, still…it did not matter that they had chosen to stay and fight.

The victory this day would belong to the empire. She had foreseen it.

It would be done.

She passed her enforcers. The pure blood Gnar sat with his two pets, while the brothers Raze and Ghull diced with several soldiers. Chylde stood apart from the others, swaying and dancing in a form of moving meditation, her movement drew the eye of many a soldier in the camp. The Twi'lek was extremely attractive, despite her mental state.

She is dangerous this one, Keera realized, she had noticed that her fellow enforcers had been distancing themselves from her of late.

Keera fully intended to turn that to her advantage.

Dym and Xen stood guard outside the communications tent; they would make sure that her conversation with Darth Sadi remained private. As always, Keera strengthened her mental shields in preparation for this meeting.

Her understanding of Sadi's powers remained elusive, she had tracked down several journals detailing the effects of long term Force persuasion both on the user and the victim, but what she had discovered so far gave her little or no insight into the woman's powers and true potential.

It was most troubling, indeed, and once again reminded her exactly why she needed to keep up her guard around the lord of the Itae system.

She had no desire to end up like Bael, a loyal pup capering around Darth Sadi's heels.

She entered the tent to find the holo-comm on, and Beric there. Her brother had been conversing with the Dark Lord before her arrival.

Keera's eyes narrowed.

_What was this now?_

Sadi smiled as Keera stepped into the comm field.

"Ah, Lord Avaryss, excellent, I was just speaking with Captain Lylos, informing him of his new orders."

Keera smiled and nodded at the dark lord, pretending to be civil, but at the same time her mind was working, moving at hyperspace speeds.

_How did Beric know Sadi? She ordered him to be mindful of her, and to keep his distance._

She only just hid her frown.

_They would need to speak of this…later. _

Wait, she realized, what had Sadi said?

New orders?

"My men have formed up and ready to move, my lord," she informed the other dark lord, "The enemy made no moves to flee, so much the better."

Keera grinned.

"We are prepared to slaughter them."

"That is excellent news, my friend," Sadi said with a gentle smile, "But I'm afraid you will need to wait a bit longer before avenging the lost civilians of transport 433."

'Wait," Keera said with a slight frown, "Why must we wait? Everything is in readiness?"

Sadi raised her head and smiled proudly.

"I've decided to take command of this attack myself," She informed Keera, "Bael and I will be on our way within the hour. You are to hold your position and wait."

"I'm not so sure that is a good idea, my lord," Keera said quickly, trying very hard to keep the anger and venom out of her voice.

"Sadly, it is no longer your choice, Inquisitor," the dark lord said coldly.

She turned to Beric.

"Captain Lylos, inform the men that they will not engage the enemy until my arrival. They are only to move if attacked or if the rebels try to flee."

"Yes, my lord," Keera's brother said standing at attention, "Your soldiers will be awaiting your arrival."

"Excellent, captain," Sadi said nodding to him, "Sadi out."

The hologram vanished, leaving a speechless Keera.

Beric Lylos stood at attention; he looked every bit the good little soldier.

Keera…she…she…

She couldn't believe it.

She turned to him, trying to keep her breaths even.

Her right eye twitched as she fought to contain her rage.

"Did you contact her," she asked her brother, "Why?"

"I didn't contact her, my lord," he said, "Moff Galek left strict orders with all the officers; we were to send a message back to Danna City when we were in position."

Beric shrugged.

"Sadi must have been waiting to hear from us."

Keera's gaze turned icy. She couldn't believe her brother could be so…flippant about this.

"You remember my warning, yes? You should not be speaking with her, at all."

"What was I supposed to do?" he asked, "I was the officer on duty here, I had…"

She stopped him with a raised hand; her vision was tinged with red.

It took all her strength not to reach out with the Force and start choking him, her own flesh and blood!

_I __**warned **__him._

Her brother was quickly becoming a source of resistance; he did not obey her orders!

First he had disobeyed her about Xen, but she had been willing to let that go. Her brother had a man's needs and she was willing to accept that Xen could fulfill those needs. Now…this…THIS?!

Was he conspiring against her with Lord Sadi? Impossible?! Why would he betray his own sister? What could Sadi offer him that she could not?

Her hands curled into fists, her mechanical hand was clenched so hard that the servos whirred; a grinding sound escaped from her fingers.

They are doing it to me again, she thought.

Avy was given many tasks, but those tasks always suffered because of the actions of one of her supposed allies, and all those tasks did was make her look like a fool before the Dark Council.

Now, once again, Sadi was trying to steal her glory, she no doubt new of Keera's growing popularity with the natives thanks to her family ties. The Dark Lord of the Itae system was seeking to steal a victory and make herself look better, or worse, by waiting, allow the rebels to escape, and as a result pin the blame on Keera for not striking when she had the chance.

Keera took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

Yes, she realized, it was happening again…

…but this time…she was ready.

A cruel smile came to her lips.

She suspected that something like this might happen, and she had prepared.

The tent shook, as the comlink on her wrist beeped, she pressed the answer button only to get a single heavy tone. It was the sound of a life monitor flat lining.

She almost laughed.

Now…it would begin.

The explosions from outside shook the tent, Beric looked around in shock.

"What in the Emperor's name was that?!"

Keera grinned.

"The burning of Meatbags, brother," she said in a silky evil voice.

She laughed; it was a haughty and cruel sound.

She turned away and went back out into the camp, the gentle light of the approaching dawn was gone, and in its place was a firestorm in the distance. A fireball had engulfed the distant squatter camp, flames shot high into the sky as a strange unmarked assault craft screamed overhead.

Keera watched hungrily as the ship, made another pass at the camp, though the bright light burned her chemically damaged eyes, she watched as several small projectiles fell from the ship's belly.

The ground burst into flames wherever the projectiles touched.

Keera closed her eyes and basked in the warmth of the flame let it wash over her.

"Glorious," she sighed.

"Beautiful!"

The young lieutenant who had stood with her earlier ran up his cap had been lost in the first series of explosion.

"My lord, we…we had nothing to do with this! A rogue ship…"

"I have eyes lieutenant," she said, "I can see what is happening."

"Yes, my lord," the young man paled. Keera suspected that he must have heard about Sadi's orders, perhaps Beric had sent them to the men's data pads.

Another mistake on his part, if he had, still he had been too late.

She reached out with the Force, listening, she could hear the screams of burning rebels, men, women and children.

It send shiver down her spine.

Through victory my chains are broken.

She smiled at the chaos, the firestorm that had been unleashed.

Oh well, Keera thought…

…So much for waiting for Darth Sadi.

Once again, Keera reached out with the Force, feeling the destruction, the loss of life.

She swooned from the power that had been unleashed.

It was incredible!

She opened her metal palm, the red stone of Exar Kun was there, mounted within for ease of use. She tried to do what Necris had described to reach out and touch the dead, to draw them away from the Force and into herself. It did not matter if they were guilty or innocent, rebel or loyal imperial.

They were dying, and in death they were fuel for her power. She would take them all. She would take their lives and their deaths.

They would give her…everything!

"My lord?"

She blinked; the lieutenant had been speaking to her.

"What is it," she sighed, angry at the interruption, did he not see that she was trying to feed?

"We have movement, my lord," he said, "Sensors are detecting enemy forces trying to flee the camp."

She sighed and shook her head…

…So much for sitting back and enjoying the show.

She took one last look into the flame, letting the light and heat wash over her face. Strangely, she had a sudden flashback to the night her family had been killed. She saw the fireball that had consumed her home, the flame that had risen high into the sky.

The memory killed any joy she felt in the destruction she was seeing; in its place was now rage.

Cold hard rage!

"Darth Sadi's orders were clear," she growled, "We were to remain where we were unless the enemy attacked or tried to flee."

She flashed the officer a cunning smile.

"Order the men to the transports and speeder bikes. We shall crush the survivors ourselves."

"As you wish, my lord," the officer said saluting; he turned shouting orders into his comlink.

Keera did not give him a second thought; she made for her speeder bike. She intended to lead this attack, to be at the head of the pack about to slam into the burning survivors.

It would be fun.

She caught Beric's eye as she made her way to her bike, he did not look pleased with her, well, too bad.

She promised herself on Nar Shadda she would never be weak again, she would never hesitate when carrying out her orders. Keera no longer needed the light to sustain her, Avy was gone, and the dark side was far more nourishing.

She would be dining only on that from now on.

She saw that her apprentices and enforcers were already on their vehicles. They looked to her for leadership as she approached; she nodded to them, silently promising to give them everything they expected, and more.

She leapt on her speeder bike, and drew her lightsaber; she ignited the crimson blade and waved it overhead.

"FOLLOW ME BOYS!" she shouted, "TO DEATH AND GLORY! FOR THE EMPIRE!"

Answering cries rang out as she gunned the engine and went flying towards the distant fire storm, Xen and Dym's speeders flanking her own, with the four enforcers bringing up the rear, Gnar's pets running alongside, amazingly able to keep the pace with the much faster speeder bikes.

The troop transport and walkers rumbled after them, they would arrive a few seconds after the bikes finished their first run of the now burning camp.

Keera's heard beat like a war drum, anger and adrenalin fueling her, strengthening her resolve.

This will not be a battle, she reminded herself.

This will be a massacre!

Good.

She was starting to fear she had gotten out of practice.

IOI

The first to die had been a young man in a blue coat, he had barely had time to look up when he had seen the Sith speeders emerge from the long grass.

He had not even had time to scream.

SNICK!

Keera's lightsaber took his head with a single stroke. She fired the bikes forward canon. Scattering a group of rebels trying to restore one of their barricades, the survivors scattered easy prey for her apprentices and enforcers.

Keera laughed.

It would all be over in seconds!

The walkers came into range as the bikes just finished their first pass. Heavy cannon's blasted the fleeing survivors. Some fell to their knees trying to surrender, the Sith cut them down. Troopers began to disembark from their transports, blast fire flew between the now disorganized rebels and the determined Sith troops.

This is already over, she thought with a cruel grin.

Why don't they just lay down and die.

Again Keera tried to reach out and claim the death around her. She tried to do as Necris showed her, but found it too hard, too much else was happening. The destruction, the chaos of war made it hard for her to focus.

She…

Her purple eyes widened.

What was this now?!

She felt it, a tremor in the Force, a warning!

She pulled her speeder to a stop, and looked around.

Danger!

She sensed danger!

A burned rebel shouted a war cry and charged her. Keera did not waste her time trying to deal with him.

She reached out with the Force.

SNAP!

The man's neck broke with resounding crunch; he fell with barely a gurgle.

"Be silent," she hissed.

"I'm concentrating."

She looked around the battlefield, or rather the site of the slaughter. Several of the squatters tried to surrender only to be cut down by troopers ordered to spare no survivors.

No threat there.

She watched as the walkers stepped over one of the broken barricades and fired on what had once been some type of meeting hall. What was left exploded into splinters, again…no real threat?

Her eyes narrowed.

Had she been wrong? She had felt…

She watched as her enforcers made another pass.

The attack came without warning, but it was not directed at her.

She hissed.

So, that is what it was.

Raze and Ghull's speeders had been right behind Chylde, the Twi'lek enforcer had been enjoying the slaughter, blood drunk on the death all around her.

She had not been watching her back, and paid for it.

Raze's cannon barked crimson death.

The Twi'lek's speeder bike exploded!

Chylde did not explode with it.

The Force must have warned her at the last moment.

The Twi'lek leapt into the air and after a twisting summersault in midair came down lithely, and drew her blade. Her light baton flashed crimson as she whirled it defensively.

She hissed angrily showing her white fangs.

Raze spun around as his brother brought his speeder to stop, he was shouting at Raze, but his voice was lost in the roar of battle.

Raze charged his fellow enforcer, Chylde sidestepped at the last minute, avoiding being run down, she ducked under the blonde man's swinging blade, she leaned backward, arching her back, as the weapon passed within an eye lash of her nose. Her poncho caught fire, causing the Twi'lek to tear it off and throw it away.

Again she entered a defensive stance; her weapon in front of her, as Raze swung around and sped towards her once again, trying to make another pass.

He did not get the chance.

Keera had seen enough.

She could have destroyed the speeder with the man on it. She could have ripped out its fuel cell and turned the bike into a flying bomb. She did not.

She raised her hand and seized Raze physically in a grip like a durasteel vice.

He flew from his bike and found himself floating in mid ir, the vehicle's kill switch triggered, causing it to coast to a stop.

Raze fought to free himself, he struggled trying to use the Force to tear himself away from her.

Keera did not give him a chance.

She twisted her hand.

POP! POP! POP!

Raze cried out in agony!

Keera advanced her smile cold and imperious.

She had just pulverized three of his toes, and they were only just getting started.

She laughed.

This massacre had quickly lost its appeal, the fun turning into merely a mopping up operation.

She was actually happy that Raze had provided her with a break from the tedium; of course, there were still questions to be asked.

Namely…why?

Why attack a fellow Sith in the middle of a battle?

She was eager to hear his excuse.

The other Sith arrived their own bikes skidding to a halt near her.

"Master," Xen called out.

"What is going on?" Dym shouted looking around for enemies.

Gnar joined them, his Tukata running to his side.

"What are you doing, Lord Avaryss? Release him."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Who was Gnar to give her orders?

She started to raise her hand, to punish him.

"My lord?"

Beric's voice stopped her; her brother arrived with a squad of troopers.

"What is going on?"

Before she could respond, Chylde beat her to the punch.

"Raze attacked me," she hissed, "Bad Raze! Bad, naughty, Raze!"

Keera shook her head.

Chylde's way of thinking surprised her sometimes.

"Is that true?" Beric asked his sister.

"It is true," Keera said in a silky cruel voice.

"I saw him."

Raze hissed and struggled.

He glared down at Keera.

"You will pay for this. Inquisitor!" he said, "I'm one of Darth Sadi's favorites! She will…!"

POP!

Raze cried out again.

"I just broke every bone in your left hand," Keera informed him, "This is but the first of torment."

Her purple eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Tell me, Raze, how long have you belonged to the rebels?"

The enforcer's eyes widened.

"I don't."

POP.

POP.

More screaming.

Keera licked her lips hungrily.

"You attack one of my enforcers during a fight against the rebellion. Am I supposed to believe that you were not motivated by loyalty to my enemies?"

"It wasn't about the rebels! It wasn't!"

"Then why?" she demanded, "Who asked you to kill Chylde? Why did you try it?"

She tightened her Force grip on the man.

"Why?"

"I WILL SPEAK ONLY TO SADI!" he shouted, "SHE IS MY LORD!"

Keera rolled her eyes.

Poor fool.

In truth, Keera already knew why Raze had tried to kill the Twi'lek. Sadi had no doubt thought to use this lesson as a chance to rid herself of a troublesome enforcer, one who was not so easily manipulated.

She had likely charged Raze with the job.

The fool, Keera thought, what did he think would happen? Did he think that Sadi would reward him for this?

He was a loose end, and would need to be tied up.

Keera smirked.

She had no desire to give the lord of the Itae system the chance.

"Sadi is the lord of this system," Keera said, "But you are assigned to me, you and all the enforcers. Your lives and deaths are in my hands."

She laughed.

"Sadi has no say in what happens next."

Keera felt a shift around her, a sense of unease.

She frowned.

Was Sadi so terrifying?

Did even her own people fear the lord's wrath?

Weaklings, she thought.

Cowards.

Beric came up to her.

"Perhaps you should wait, my lord," he said loud enough for all to hear, but then stepped in closer so only she could hear him.

"Think of what you are doing, sister. Don't be foolish?"

She considered his council…

…And decided to ignore it.

She used the Force to snap all the bones in Raze's right arm, he howled in agony.

"BROTHER!" he shouted at Ghull.

"BROTHER! HELP ME!"

Keera looked over at Ghull, if the misshapen fool tried anything…

He did not move.

If anything he gave his prettier brother a lopsided grin.

"You can't sweet talk your way out of this, Raze," he said, "You remember the rules, yes? As a Sith you are free to do as you will, unless you get caught."

Ghull grinned up at his brother.

"I will not miss your arrogant jibes at my behalf, brother."

He turned to Keera.

"Do as you will, my lord, you have command."

"KILL HIM MOTHER!" Chylde squealed jumping up and down.

"MAKE HIM WAIL!"

"Darth Sadi will not like this, my lord," Gnar called out.

Keera was aware of that, but again…she did not care.

"You should turn him over to the law, my lord," Beric said, "Sadi is…"

Beric stopped speaking.

His sister had heard enough!

She used the Force to freeze his jaw.

He looked at her with shock as he realized he could not speak.

She eyed him with a look of cold fury.

"The next person to say Sadi's name around me will lose their tongue!" She shouted.

She had made sure that everyone could hear her; she wanted make sure they knew exactly what she was doing.

Keera shook her head.

She had had enough.

She found herself thinking of Alaria, the overseer at Butcher's Clearing, she had executed one of her own lieutenants in the manner that Keera was about to execute Raze.

At the time, she had only just been promoted to a second level acolyte; she had been impressed by the power that the overseer had wielded.

Now, as she used it herself, she realized just what a small thing it was, how easy it was to kill one so far beneath her.

It amused her.

"My friends and allies," she shouted, "I fear that some of you do not realize exactly who it is you are working for. I get the feeling that most of you think that you are dealing with a mere apprentice, Darth Feer's errand girl."

Keera smiled.

"I'm no mere errand girl; I'm not even a mere Sith. I…am a Darth. The Dark Council named me such for my strength and willingness to serve."

_That or they were trying to manipulate me,_ Keera thought to herself, but did not bother to tell the others that.

It was none of their affair; all they had to do was obey.

That was all that mattered.

"I learned one thing as a child," she continued, "That to contend with a Darth was to court death. I learned that a Darth was death personified."

She looked at Beric, he had stopped trying to get his jaw to work; he looked at her with a mix of shock and fear.

Given the mood she was in; he was lucky she settled for simply freezing his jaw.

Damn lucky.

"I'm the Inquisitor of this system," she hissed, "I have been given command of all of you, and what that means, what you all must understand…"

She walked up to Beric and looked him in the eye, a corona of red flame burned in her irises.

"I am a Darth, which means…I. AM. THE. LAW."

She turned back to Raze, he was no longer speaking he was whimpering in agony, he wasn't even trying to free himself anymore."

She shook her head.

Pathetic!

This is what Sadi did to her followers.

She would send the Lord of the Itae system a message.

"Enforcer Raze is guilty of treason and attempted murder. I have born witness to his crime and pass judgment. The penalty is death."

She looked up at him.

Her smile was cold and hungry.

"A pass sentence…now."

Keera closed her fist.

Raze last out one final gasp.

CRUNCH!

Every bone in the handsome enforcer's body pulverized!

The wet mess was only held together by his armor and clothes.

It fell to the ground with a wet squish.

Keera finally released her grip on her brother's mouth.

He did not dare speak.

No one did.

Keera chuckled.

"Does anyone else have to learn this lesson? Do I have to make another example?"

"No my lord," the words were spoken in unison.

"I can't hear you?" she sang out.

"NO DARTH!" they all shouted as one.

Keera nodded.

Better, she thought.

Much better.

She turned with a contented smile.

"Leave the traitor's remains to rot," she shouted, "As for the rest of you, hunt down any survivors of this camp, I want a clean sweep. No prisoners, no mercy."

"Yes Darth." They all called out again.

Keera nodded.

Yes, Darth, she thought.

Damn right.

IOI

It took only an hour to finish off the survivors, a few did try to deal, confessing that they had seen Tahl Moritza, their statements were taken and they were all summarily executed.

Keera was most pleased.

Everything had gone off without a hitch, despite Raze's screw up.

Keera stood by their camp awaiting Darth Sadi; the Dark Lord would arrive any minute.

She smirked.

She had some explaining to do.

That did not concern her, not anymore.

The dark side was flowing through her so strongly now, she still had not managed to absorb the deaths of her victims, but she was confident that with time and practice, she would do it.

It was at that moment that the ship that had firebombed the camp finally came down for a landing, it circled the camp once before settling down on the ground not ten paces away from where Keera stood.

She smiled, pleased by the arrival.

Finally, she thought.

My house is once again complete!

The hatch hissed open, steam escaped as the loading ramp lowered. It was a wicked little vessel covered in ebon armor and shaped like a tear drop with sharpened edges.

It even had a name. It was called _**the Hunter Sigma.**_

Its pilot was an associate of hers.

She heard a loud clumping sound, and turned to meet the pilot.

"It is about time," she called out, "I've been waiting for your return."

The droid's grey armor shone in the light of the dawn, the distant flames had finally burned down, but still cast shadows on the droid's glowing red optics.

"Greetings: Hello my master, it has been some time."

She smiled.

"It has indeed HK Sigma 3; I do hope you are fully functional. You will have many Meatbags to kill."

The assassin droid tilted its head.

"Excited statement: Oh master, you say the lovely things."

"I'm so glad you approve," she responded.

"Query: Did you enjoy my burning of the Meatbag camp? I found it most…diverting."

"You did well, my friend," she responded.

"It was…perfect."


	43. The Opportunity

**Chapter 43: The Opportunity**

"You have changed, my child," Darth Feer said with an amused look on his face.

"I can see it in your eyes."

Keera smiled. When she had first received word that her master was trying to contact her she had been…concerned. Darth Sadi had not been happy about HK's involvement in the attack on the squatter camp. She had remained polite at the time, and had not said a single cross word, but Keera had sense the other woman's anger. Her desire to lash out at her fellow Sith had been great indeed.

_Yet, she had not dared strike back_. She had simply accepted the fact that the job was done, and despite what had happened, both to the camp and to Raze, had simply tried to take credit for the action, reminding all that it was she that had approved the mission, and that it was she that Darth Avaryss answered too.

Keera had said nothing, though she suspected that she would face some form of reprisal, and that it would be soon. Feer's transmission seemed to be that reprisal, though he did not seem angry with her. In fact, she sensed no hostility at all.

She sensed only…a sense of pride?

'Have I changed, my lord?" she said as she knelt before the hyper comm, "I hadn't really noticed."

Again she waited for Darth Feer to try and lash out at her, to punish her for disobeying Darth Sadi's command.

Again, he did nothing of the sort.

He remained…amused.

"I've been informed that you have been a bad girl, apprentice; that you disobeyed a direct order from a superior, and that you are apparently out of control, murdering your own followers for imagined slights."

Keera shrugged.

"Matters are more…complicated then what you think, My Master. I did not seek to disobey, but circumstances were already in motion when the orders in question came down. I had no way of changing them at the last minute. As for the murder, that was not done for an imagined slight. Enforcer Raze was killed for giving aid to the rebellion, and attempting to murder a fellow Sith."

Again she shrugged.

"As Inquisitor, I carried out my duty to the letter; Darth Sadi's complaints against me are…only a matter of bad timing."

Her master laughed.

"Bad timing, you say?"

"Yes, master."

"Explain."

"Before the attack I was contacted by my assassin droid, HK Sigma 3. It had just returned from a mission off world and was looking to aid me in my latest endeavor. The ship that it had acquired is quite powerful, and best of all…unknown to all Imperial registries. We have long suspected that the rebels have agents in the central tower, feeding them information about our operations. I sought to keep HK's involvement secret. I finalized his orders over my private hyper comm, three hours before the attack began, and then, to make sure that no one could interfere with those instructions, I ordered him to go radio silent, to not respond to any transmission until the job was carried out."

She sighed.

"Sadi ordered the stand down only a few minutes before the attack was slated to begin, I had no time to call my droid off, and even if I had tried to contact him, he would not have responded, we agreed on total comm silence. I had no way to order a stand down."

"I see," Darth Feer said nodding, "And the Enforcer that you executed?"

"As I said, Raze tried to kill another enforcer. He sought to use the battle as cover, but the other enforcer managed to survive, and worst of all…I saw him make the attempt."

Keera sighed.

"I did not kill him simply because he had tried to murder one of his fellows. He died because he was a fool and got caught. I understand Darth Sadi's anger, but the man was both stupid and weak."

Her smile returned.

"I did the Sith Order a favor by eliminating him, The weak must perish to make way for the strong, that is the way of the Sith."

Again Feer nodded.

"And the camp itself?" he asked, "What of it?"

"It was destroyed, master."

"The survivors?"

"There were none, I ordered them all executed, an example needed to be made for what occurred with the civilian transport that was bombed."

"And how do you feel about that, daughter, killing your own people, innocent imperials?"

Keera frowned.

She could have lied, pretended that nothing had changed, but saw no reason to, Darth Feer would sense it if she tried, besides, she had no reason to lie now.

She had done her duty.

He should accept that.

"Imperials they were, yes, but they were also sheltering our enemies. Intelligence verified that the rebels had launched several attacks from the camp. An example had to be made."

She sighed again.

"I didn't want to do it, I felt…ashamed when I first issued the order, but I saw no recourse, and besides, I realized something when the task was done."

"And what was that, my dear?"

Keera looked up at him, her eyes glowing in the dim light.

"I felt…free, my master. Those people were squatters; they were nothing, a drain on the Empire's resources. So what if they had been born here. They were mundanes, and their value to us was limited. I could have sent in the slavers I suppose, but this was better, cleaner. I gave them the mercy of a quick and clean death. All those that escaped did not suffer either; my troops were both diligent and loyal. We spared no one."

"I see," Feer said leaning back, "And what will you do if your duty calls upon you to destroy more of your people, what would the daughter of Andur Lylos do then?"

_Again he tries to trap me_, she thought, _and again he simply does not see what has happened._

She laughed coldly.

"I will do what I must to bring this rebellion to a close. All I need to do is wait. I must wait for another rebel strike at a civilian target, from there I will be free to do what I must. For every civilian the rebels kill, I will destroy ten of their sympathizers. For every recruitment center they bomb, I will order the destruction of any settlement that the rebel's launch from."

Keera grinned up at him.

"They are rebels and terrorists, but they don't know what terror is. I **will** teach them, and the fear of what I will do in reprisal will make any terrorist act committed against the Empire seem minute in comparison, the war will end because they will know that my will is stronger, my resolve undeniable. No one can resist me, my master."

She raised her metal hand, lightning cracked between her fingertips.

"The people may not understand it, but what I do now, is for love, love of my Empire, and the Emperor."

She bowed her head then, she had spoken her heart, but now she had to lie, to tell the biggest lie she could.

"I did it for…for the love of our _**next**_ Emperor, my master. I did it for the only Sith that deserves the throne."

Feer paused, she could feel his emotions roiling; he was considering what she had said.

That next Emperor comment was a gamble, but a well calculated one.

Feer _**desired**_ the throne, and thought his apprentice still committed to helping him seize it.

He needed to keep thinking that, she needed to convince him.

Finally, Feer responded to her words, the story she had sold him.

Her master smiled.

"As I said, you have changed," he began, "I must confess apprentice, when I first gave you this mission, I feared that you would be incapable of completing it. Your devotion to the mundanes of the Empire has always been a weakness, a flaw in your character."

Feer looked at her; she could sense his affection, even through the hyper comm signal.

Despite her desire to kill him, she felt…warm. She basked in the warmth of his affection, her master was proud, the man who had created her was proud.

It was impossible not to feel at least a little bit of pride.

What child didn't want to bask in the praise of their parent?

"When you stood before me aboard the Emperor's station, I was concerned for you. I thought you unready for this assignment, that returning to that place might break you.

_It nearly did_, Keera realized, _Avy would have broken here; the past was too much for her._

B_ut I'm **not** Avy, and I've reclaimed my life. The man who should have been mine now shares my bed, and my enemies know to fear the daughter of Andur Lylos._

_Everything is working out the way it should have. Oridanna will be mine._

She smiled.

Everything that Feer possessed would be mine.

If her master sensed her desire, he did not show it. He continued to speak.

"When you first returned to me on Dromund Kaas, I sensed doubt. I sensed fear and confusion, but now…that is done."

Feer leaned in, his face filling the holo field making him appear like a giant.

"Where there was once doubt, I now feel certainty. Where there was once fear, I sense only cold resolve. Where you were once confused; now you understand…now you can see."

Her master beamed with pride.

"At last, my dear, you are finally growing into your title. You are truly becoming a Darth, the affairs of the mundane are finally beneath you, you are truly embracing the power of the dark side. I'm so proud of you daughter."

Keera could not entirely kill the blush on her cheeks.

_I will kill this man one day, but for now…he is proud of me._

_He is proud._

She beamed up at the hologram.

"What of Darth Sadi," she asked, "She is still angry with me."

"I will inform Sadi that you have been properly chastised. She will wonder what occurred, but that is **none** of her concern, it is a master's responsibility to discipline his apprentice when she falters."

"You will of course, play the part of the chastised apprentice, at least…for now."

She nodded.

"I will father," she promised, "Until I'm strong enough to take my rightful place at your side once again."

Feer nodded.

"I now believe that that day will come, apprentice. If you stay this course you will be powerful enough to serve me when all that I desire comes to me. The throne will be mine, and you, Darth Avaryss, will be my first enforcer, and heir to the throne."

Keera's heart quickened, but her caution returned.

"We need to be careful what we say over an open channel, my lord. We have no idea who might be listening."

"Let them hear," Feer said with a cold sneer, Marr is tied up dealing with Revan and his fanatics. The other Dark Council members are playing their own games, and once you have secured Oridanna and the rest of the Itae system, we will have uncontested control over the Empire's food and medical supply."

Keera' purple eyes glowed with excitement.

"We will have Dromund Kaas by the throat!"

"All will be as I've foreseen, daughter, House Feer will rise, and House Avaryss will bask in the glory of being the second most powerful house in the Empire."

"Why else do you think I serve, my lord?" she asked, "House Avaryss will be the Empire's most leal servant. I shall serve you, and my progeny will enrich the Imperial bloodline for the next thousand years."

"Always ambitious, my little girl," Feer said, Keera could sense his amusement, he looked about to break out into laughter.

She only just suppressed a frown.

_Had she said something amusing?_

_Why did her master think the idea of her having a family was a joke?_

_Because he underestimates you,_ the darkness whispered, _so much the better._

Yes, Keera thought, that must be it.

_Let him think me a common servant; let him think that the throne will still be his._

Marr would see her value after her victory; she would once again push the idea of naming her Empress, of her being a figure head for the Cabal. Nox might question the wisdom of that, and the Emperor's Wrath might think she was over reaching, but by the time that they realized what had truly happened, she would have her people in key positions, and then…one night…

Keera would cease to be a figure head, she would rise out of the silence as a true Empress of the Sith.

The empire…would be hers.

"We must continue as we have, my child," Feer advised, but another matter must be attended to first, a distraction to your work must be removed."

Keera blinked.

"A distraction, my master?"

"Yes," he replied, "Tell me apprentice, do you know someone named Chayn, Inquisitor Chayn?"

Keera's brow furrowed, she had been so busy of late; she had almost forgotten that name.

Almost.

"Yes, master," she replied, "I know of him. Inquisitor Chayn hired an assassin to kill me on Korriban. I sent the man's head back in a box to Dromund Kaas, as a warning."

"Do you know who this man is, why he would want you dead?"

"I'm not sure, my lord. A Sith is always cultivating new enemies."

Feer chuckled.

"In this case, the man has become more than a mere enemy; he is proving to be a threat to both our reigns."

"How so," she inquired, "Who is he?"

"He is a man that blames you for the death of his child, and me for playing the two of your against each other. How he discovered this I have no idea, but he blames you for the death of your former comrade, the Sith Acolyte known as Nass."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Her father, she thought.

Inquisitor Chayn is Nass' father, the "Lord Inquisitor" as his daughter had once called him.

A growl escaped her throat.

"The man came after me because of what happened when I was an acolyte," she said, "His witch of a daughter murders my fiancé and he wonders why I killed her?"

_Actually it was Avy_; a distant part of her mind reminded her, still…Keera carried all of Avy's baggage around with her...

…The memory of the torture, the agony, the time when she was forced to endure wearing a breathing mask just to survive, being crippled and broken, having to live on Korriban with her powers cut off; prey for every other acolyte, having been forced to bow to even the lowest student.

Nass had been responsible for all of that.

The memory and the hatred still, burned in Keera's breast.

"Chayn has fled Dromund Kaas," her master informed her, "Yet, even now, he threatens us. He sought to empower several of my rivals, to hurt my chances of rising to the throne. I dealt with the problem, but the man remains a thorn in my side. He has also recently tried to hire a bounty hunter to come after you, my child."

Keera snarled at that.

Avaryss had defeated a Sith Assassin, and now the fool thought a mere bounty hunter could oppose Keera Lylos?

The fool!

"Do we know where Chayn has fled?" she inquired, "I could voice our displeasure to the man in person."

Feer smiled at that.

"You should let one of your underlings handle this matter, my dear. You claim that you have your assassin droid back, send him, or perhaps that alien you picked up on Korriban, this would be a good kill for him to cut his teeth on."

Perhaps, Keera thought, but at the same time…

…Chayn had targeted her. She did not want to simply hear a report of him dying; she wanted to do the deed herself. She could probably have had the man brought to Oridanna alive, but that would be a tough job. Dym might be able to do it, but it was likely the Inquisitor would die on the way back; the same went for HK Sigma 3.

Careful, her conscience warned, Feer might be using reverse psychology. By saying that he doesn't want you to go, he may suspect that you will go. He may seek to get you off of Oridanna for a while, or it could be that he is right. Did she really want to go off world and leave Sadi to play her games in her absence?

Keera shook her head.

She could give herself a brain cramp trying to see all the angles to this, but in the end, she let the dark side guide her, her hunger for power and revenge.

She could leave this to another, that is what a Darth would do, but…

But…

She sighed.

She _**wanted**_ to handle this one herself; she wanted to watch the Lord Inquisitor die, just as she had watched his daughter die.

_No…wait, Avy had watched Nass die._

True, but Keera remembered what it was like.

She wanted to feel that way again.

She **needed** to feel that way again.

There was a small amount of risk leaving Oridanna, but she was sure that Bleez, Beric, and Xen could keep the planet in line, and Synestra Feer would keep an eye on Darth Sadi for her, make sure the witch made no major moves in her absence.

The woman had decided to extend her visit, get to know the people that her husband had put in charge of their holdings; it also gave her an excuse to remain close to Bael, who she still believed could be saved.

I will need to distract her from that, Keera realized.

Perhaps the time had come to finally reunite mother and daughter?

Synestra would not admit it, but she missed her first born, it had hurt her giving up her child, turning her back on her.

Keera would give them a chance at a reunion.

It might just be what was needed to bring Feer's wife fully under her control, put her in a position that she would serve in the downfall of her husband.

As for the rebels, well, she did not fear their actions, not now that she had revealed her true strength.

Let them threaten innocent people, she couldn't care less. All it did was make them seem more and more the villains, and make her more and more popular when she punished them severely for their cruelty.

Rebel fools, she thought, Tahl Moritza was a fool.

He and his followers had nothing to threaten her with, not anymore.

She cared nothing for the mundanes of Oridanna, they were her tools.

She would take good care of them, but in the end, their ends did not matter.

They would serve her purpose one way or another.

Yes, she realized, she would deal with this matter herself. She would summon Rink and Holli; they would bring HK and Dym with them.

She would kill Inquisitor Chayn herself, tear out his heart with her bare hands, and coat her fingers in wet crimson gloves.

Yes, she thought.

That is exactly what she would do.

He would pay for threatening her rise.

Ro would worry, but she would make sure that he understood before she left.

She would make love to him one last time before leaving; that would serve to keep him on the right track.

Yes, it would be the perfect motivator to keep her lover on the course she needed him on.

"How do we find Chayn, my lord?" she asked.

Feer smiled.

"I will turn over things to Warmaster Feore," he informed her.

"He will give you the final details."

The holo of her master vanished, replaced by the form of an elderly pure blooded Sith.

Feore Monn, Warmaster for House Feer.

"Greetings, young one," he said with a slight bow, "I do hope that you are well."

Keera smiled.

Once she had hoped to secure the old pureblood as an ally, but he had rebuked her after an earlier mission, making her question his value.

She had not forgiven him for that, but…was still willing to listen to his wisdom.

"What do you have for me, Warmaster?" she asked.

"I'm most eager to begin."

"Inquisitor Chayn has fled to the planet Tatooine," he informed her, "You remember it, I trust?"

"Indeed," she replied, "It was my first mission off Dromund Kaas."

It was also the world that she had recovered Mister Rink, and met Holli for the first time.

The world had been lucky to me, once, she thought.

Hopefully, it would be so again.

"How did we learn of Chayn's location? Who will I be working with on this one?"

"Your contact on Tatooine will be a Bounty Hunter named Kalo Nord."

Keera's eyes widened slightly at that.

"Kalo Nord?" she said.

"Indeed," Feore responded with a slight smile.

"You have heard the name I trust?"

Keera nodded.

She had indeed.

"The name Kalo Nord was both feared and respected in bounty hunter circles, and had been for centuries. It was a name, or title, used by elite hunters for many years now. The first Calo Nord had been active during the war between Revan and the Republic. It was rumored that he had been killed, but every so often a new man or woman would show up using the name, and quickly proved themselves to be a top of the line hunter and assassin. The name changed slightly with each new hunter, a different spelling or pronunciation each time, but the reputation and willingness to kill for money remained a constant.

Some said that Kalo Nord was not a person at all, but an immortal spirit of greed and violence, that the spirit possessed the most vicious and feared hunter of his or her generation, carrying on his bloody work. Personally, Keera felt that it was simply a title now, passed down from one hunter to the next, a holdover from the days that a hunter's name truly meant something.

She smiled.

Regardless, she was quite eager to meet this new Kalo Nord.

"Nord will be waiting for you in the cantina in Mos Ila," Feore informed her.

He smiled that knowing smile of his.

"You are not going to let someone else handle this, are you, girl? You are going to kill Chayn yourself?"

Keera grinned.

"You know me so well, Warmaster. He sent a nobody to destroy me on Korriban; I will not risk doing the same."

Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"When he dies, this Lord Inquisitor will do so looking into my eyes, he will know that he has failed, and his life has been worth nothing. He will die knowing that his bloodline has ended; the father will die by the same hand that killed the daughter. I will end their line, tear it out, root and stem."

Feore laughed at that.

"Spoken like a true Darth, dear girl."

"Naturally," she said a slight nod.

He chuckled again.

"May the Force serve you well, child," he said, "Good hunting."

"Thank you, Warmaster."

"May the Force serve you well."


	44. Hell and Ice Water

**Chapter 44: Hell and Ice Water**

"Just like the good old days, eh, Boss?"

Keera smiled. She glanced over at Rink, turning her eyes away from the wonder that was hyper space.

_The good old days,_ she thought…

Her smile widened.

_Yes, I suppose they __**were **__the good old days._

She hated to admit it, but she had wanted this for herself. Avy had come to miss her time as a free apprentice travelling the space ways; hunting and slaying her master's enemies.

That had been good, probably, the happiest time of her other half's young life, or rather, her life since joining the Sith.

Now I do it again, Keera thought with a sense of eagerness. I'm the hunter, and soon I will drink deep of the blood of my enemy, and he will know both fear and despair.

Inflicting both on an enemy excited her.

_She could not wait to reach their destination._

Her Fury class interceptor was on a course for Tatooine. The Bounty Hunter Kalo Nord was to meet them in Mos Ila, from there they would proceed on to Inquisitor Chayn's hideaway; the hidden base where he had hoped to hide from Darth Feer's wrath.

The thought amused the young Dark Lord.

If Nass' father was so scared of Feer, he should not have involved himself in Feer's business

_He had already lost his daughter. Was he so willing to join her in the madness beyond death?_

The thought amused her.

If the Lord Inquisitor, as Nass used to call him, only knew.

She could do _**far**_ worse to someone than simply kill them.

All you had to do was ask Darth Terrog.

The thought almost made her laugh, but in that moment, she hesitated.

Wait…it was Avy who had destroyed Terrog. Keera had been watching but it had not been done by her hand.

Of course, it did not matter anymore.

Keera was Darth Avaryss now, Avy was gone forever.

_I'm free to decide the fate of my legacy_, she thought with a wolfish smile.

_I'm __**free.**_

The young Sith once again turned her eyes to the swirling tunnel that was hyperspace, enjoying the time and space twisting splendor that her ship moved through so easily.

"I've missed this, Mister Rink," she confessed, her voice containing no small bit of melancholy.

The Dark Lord shook her head.

"I've missed the…_simplicity_ of this. Plots and plans are nice, but to move without doubt, that is truly wondrous. I've missed jetting off to engage one a rival or enemy. I've missed having a lethal foe that only I can stop, a threat that I must face with only the dark side, my wits, and my lightsaber at my side."

Rink smirked at that, making Keera laugh again.

"Listen to me now," she said, "I'm turning poetic."

Her pilot merely laughed.

"Like I said," he said grinning, "The good old days, just you and your loyal crew against the galaxy."

His words made her nod.

_Her loyal crew?_

She found herself considering something, something she had not really thought about before.

_Was her crew truly loyal?_

_**Were **__they?_

She dismissed such thoughts as best she could, a matter for another time, she had an enemy to defeat, and needed to stay focused on that. Inquisitor Chayn would not expect this move, but she would not be overconfident, she would deal with the man, and win yet another glorious victory.

Avy would have done that, yes…

…just like in the good old days.

Of course, she realized, this wasn't entirely like the good old days, not the ones that Avy had enjoyed. Rink was here. HK was here. Holli was back in engineering still tinkering with the engines, trying to fix everything that Rink had done in the months he had been away.

It sort of felt like a homecoming, but it was not. Dym was here, meditating, readying himself to face the threat of Inquisitor Chayn.

She was curious to see how the Muun performed. She was most eager to see what he was capable of.

He had not really performed for her back on Korriban, choosing to sit back and let his enemies do the work for him.

He would not have that option this time.

This time…her apprentice would have to fight.

I will need to let him work, she realized, let him grow in his power and show off. Of course, Chayn's death is mine; his life and torment belong to me.

Yes, she thought.

_He must __**suffer**__ at __**my**__ hands._

In the past, she had always been a passive observer, watching as Avaryss leapt into battle against her master's enemies

Now, it was Keera's turn to wage battle and destroy a hated foe.

She looked forward to that. Yes.

She looked forward to that very much.

With Avaryss being gone and defeated, she now had full access not only to this body, but the memories and experiences that it had endured. The experience of Avy's crippling on the planet Korriban was the event that stuck with her the most, all she had to endure because Nass had decided to betray her. She remembered being tortured to the brink of death, being forced to wear a breathing mask for months while her body healed; that damage that had never really fully healed, her eyes and ears permanently effected by what had been done during that botched interrogation.

Korriban had left her with scars.

The memory rose up and made her clench her fist with silent rage.

It had been intolerable.

When Avy had avenged herself by killing Nass and claiming her place as Darth Feer's apprentice; that should have been the end of it; Nass was dead, broken, and should have been, forgotten.

Yet, now, her father had returned, he had sent someone to kill his late daughter's rival. He had _**dared**_ to try and kill Avy and ruin Keera's life.

He would pay for that, but mere death was not a good enough punishment for such a crime. He needed to suffer; she _**needed **_to make him suffer.

He will beg for death before the end. He would feel everything; every single cut and burn.

The thought sent a warm tingle down Keera's spine.

_Perhaps he thinks he is trying to avenge his beloved daughter, well…I will make sure that he knows the truth. He will know how much his daughter hated him, that she lived only for the chance to become a Sith and __**retire**__ him. She lived only to see him punished for his failure to acknowledge her, while he wasted away their time together with his work and his many mistresses._

He would know…_everything_. She would make sure that he knew. He would know what a complete failure as a father he had been, and then, when he was broken, she would destroy him with her bare hands. She would stand there and watch as the light faded from his eyes, and he fell into the madness beyond death.

She took a shuddering breath, savoring the day dream.

_Yes_. She almost sighed.

_Oh yes!_

"You okay there, boss?" Rink asked, "You are breathing a little hard."

Keera smiled again.

_She couldn't help it._

She was _**excited,**_ eager for a taste of things to come.

She was thirsty for blood, and the anticipation was intoxicating!

"I'm fine," she said warmly, not wanting to share what she was feeling. She doubted that Rink would understand. She tilted her head slightly, trying to seem more relaxed.

She decided to play the good leader, to put him at ease.

If anyone should be asking if someone is okay, it should be **me** asking _you_," she said, letting as much sympathy slip into her voice as she could manage.

"Are **you **okay, Mister Rink?"

The pilot shrugged.

"I'm okay, boss," he said dismissively, "I can't say that losing Tia the way I did didn't hurt, but I'm on the mend, it will take time, yeah, but I'm not going to fall apart, you don't have to worry."

He gave her a brave smile.

"Don't you worry; I got my head on straight."

_Good_ she thought nodding.

_Because if you don't, if you fail me in any way…_

Her smile turned shark-like.

_I will flay you alive._

_The thought came out of nowhere, once it might even have shocked and surprised her…_

…_it no longer did._

There was a time that Keera had rejected the paranoia that she had seen among her fellow Sith. The constant backstabbing and bickering had seemed wasteful to her. The Empire was the glue that held them together, surely the Sith needed to get along to ensure not just victory over their enemies, but the future of the empire as well.

It had been a good idea, but it did showcase her inexperience and naiveté.

Keera was no longer naïve; she understood the truth about the Sith Order and the Empire.

Paranoia was part of the game; it was the hell that all Sith had to contend with.

She accepted that idea; it was simply the way of the galaxy.

She and her crew had done amazing things together, they had ended the Jedi conspiracy, and defeated Darth Terrog, but now she was starting to understand her people, what they expected of both her and the Empire.

She feared they would be disappointed.

That business with the civilian transport had been a masterstroke, another Sith would have understood that, her crew, she feared, would not, especially Beric.

They did what Avy asked when it came to enemies and military targets, Keera thought, but what would they say if they knew I ordered an attack on my own people?

Holli would be mortified, she was a loyal imperial. Rink, despite his roguish nature, was not what she considered a bad person. He would question her choice, and, even if he let it go and realized she had not had any other option, he would not forget. He might even become afraid of her.

Beric would...

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Beric would be _**furious **_with her.

She had killed **their** people. She had killed her **father's **people!

Andur Lylos would never have made such a choice.

She doubted that Beric would accept any argument to explain it away. He might even try convincing Xen to side with him; love did strange things to people.

_He would likely even tell Ro…he might even try to turn my lover __**against **__me._

That thought almost made her snarl.

Never, she thought, Ro is mine. I will never let my dear brother take away what is mine.

_**Never!**_

She closed her eyes and took deep breath, letting the anger wash over her, and make her strong.

As it passed through her, she realized something.

She had come to see her crew as more than just her servants and members of her house, on some small level; she had come to see them as friends, almost…like family.

Beric, Holli, Rink, HK, even Necris and Xen on some level…

She…she loved them; they were her house, her new family.

The thought made her cringe.

She had been so…naïve.

In her mind's eye, she could see her brother's face. How he would look upon her when he found out what she had done to those civilians. The look he gave her was so cold, so…_judging_. It was so much like the look that Andur Lylos had given her as a child, when his little blossom finally stepped too far over the line and needed to be disciplined.

It did not happen often; usually her father's scowl had been enough to bring his little girl back into line.

Keera had been the dutiful daughter once; Darth Feer had counted on that.

He would one day learn…that wasn't who she was anymore.

A scowl alone would not work on her now; not even one from Andur Lylos, or his eldest and only son.

It would not be so easy for Beric, oh no.

Keera could not be cowed so easily…not anymore.

She thought of her brother, his lover, Holli, and Rink, **her **family…**her** friends.

_I love you_; that was the thought that came to mind when she thought about all they had done together. What they had shared.

If they ever betrayed her…she…she did not know what she would do?

It would be horrible though…for them.

The thought made her shudder.

_I love you all, but I will not let you take away anything that is mine by right._

_She imagined them abandoning her, leaving her because of her choices. She…she would not allow that…she would __**never**__ allow that._

Her eyes narrowed, her vision began to turn red.

_I don't want to hurt you, and I won't…unless you __**make **__me._

She glanced over at Rink, wondering what it would feel like to crush his throat with her mechanical hand.

_Don't betray me_, she thought.

_Don't you dare!_

He glanced over at her, likely not realizing how close he was to death. The desire wasn't rational, but it was there.

I want to destroy him!

Is he plotting against me? I'm sure he is, but…if I kill him…I…I lose his skills.

The desire, the bloodlust was almost all consuming. Somehow…she did not let it overwhelm her…

She held it in check.

_I can't kill him right now_, she realized.

Someone has to fly the ship.

"You okay, boss?"

"Of course," she purred sweetly, "why wouldn't I be?"

"Your eyes are glowing," he informed her, pointing at her face.

She frowned and looked at her reflection in one of the panels. Its mirror shines showing her a ghostly image of her face.

"So they are," she said.

She could see the violet colored glow reflected back off the shiny black metal.

Interesting.

"Psyching yourself up for the fight, huh" Rink said with a smile.

"As always," she said innocently.

The pilot laughed.

"I suppose I should start feeling sorry for the guy you are about to unleash your powers on."

The dark side gave her a vision of her bashing his head into the control console, not stopping until all that was left was red mush on the black metal.

The thought both horrified and excited her with equal measure.

It would be a guilty pleasure, yes.

But…it would also be quite fun!

The image made her smile.

"Oh yes," she agreed, "this person has no idea what is coming for them."

"Yeah," Rink chuckled, "I'll bet."

Keera laughed a cold wicked sound.

"Indeed, my friend," she said.

"Indeed."

She leaned back in her chair and stretched, she was a lioness preparing for the hunt.

They would be on Tatooine soon, the sooner the better.

She was not sure how much longer she could contain the darkness within. The bloodlust within her demanded to be sated.

Her crew was still loyal, for the moment.

She sighed deeply.

But when the day comes, she thought.

I…will be ready.

IOI

Tatooine remained much as Avy remembered, too hot, and too bright.

The interceptor came down inside the city, accepting her clearance codes and offering them a space within one of the several hangar bays.

Rink stayed behind to guard the ship, while Keera led the rest of their crew headed into the town.

_They had arrived just in time._

The sun shone down on the desert town, it was too bright for Keera's eyes, but that is what her darkened lenses were for.

They made their way down the dusty streets of Mos Ila; the two Sith in front, with Holli and HK bringing up the rear. The winds had just started to blow when the interceptor had touched down. Now they were picking up, the grit stung Keera's face.

Sandstorm, one of the locals had informed her, nothing to do now, but get to cover and wait it out.

Fortunately, the cantina she sought was not far. She hoped that their contact was already there, waiting for them.

The storm would slow them down, but it would only delay the inevitable.

Inquisitor Chayn's days were numbered.

She would be coming for him soon enough.

"Complaint," HK grumbled, "This sand is getting in my circuits! I calculate a fourteen percent drop in all system efficiency."

The droid turned to Holli.

"Accusation: If this inept Meatbag mechanic had remembered to seal my joints better, my performance would not be so negatively affected."

If Holli took offense she did not show it.

She gave the droid a sweet smile.

"Pipe down you walking toaster oven, it's just a little sand."

The engineer shook her head.

"Don't worry; my engineering team will give you a nice oil bath when we return to the Emperor's Wisdom."

HK made a sound that might have been the droid equivalence of a snort of annoyance.

Keera did not blame him; still, it was not Holli's fault.

HK Sigma Three was programmed for self-sufficiency, if the seals protecting his joints were not up to specifications he could have fixed them during his mission.

She made mental note to request a full report of any upgrades he had acquired while he had been off on his own.

She was curious to see how her assassin was evolving.

He might have added something she could use on her enemies.

A gust of wind sent another blast of sand into their faces. Despite the goggles and scarf she wore over her mouth, Keera could still taste sand. She spat, and wiped her mouth.

"Ugh," she heard Dym say, she glanced back at her apprentice; she could barely make him out through the blowing sand...

"Maybe we will get lucky and this storm will bury this hole," he growled, "I doubt we will find anything of use here."

"Don't be so sure, my lord," Holli said, "Tatooine is a rough place, but it has managed to produce some of the finest pilots in the outer rim."

"The Commander is not wrong, Dym," Keera added, "The weak do not last long in a place like this. If anything, we Sith should endeavor to be more like the people here."

The dark lord smiled.

"Never underestimate a survivor."

If the Muun agreed, he did not show it.

He simply coughed and kept his sleeve up over his mouth and nose.

Keera said nothing about her crew's complaints, let them be frustrated, let them want to do a bit of damage to this world.

It would only make them hungrier when they finally caught up with the quarry.

Visibility was almost zero when they finally stepped inside the cantina. Keera did not bother trying to trigger the door by hand. She reached out with the Force and hurried inside, the rest of her party following close at her heels.

She spat out sand, and wiped at her black robes with her metal hand.

We will not be leaving anytime soon, she realized, she got the feeling that storm was just getting started.

The Dark Lord sighed.

Well, at least she now had time to deal with this Kalo Nord, if they could not leave, than his chances of getting out were even lower.

This bounty hunter will deal with me, she thought, I'm not taking no for an answer.

The cantina itself was quite busy, she counted at least thirty beings inside the dark space, most aliens she had never seen before; all trying to avoid the storm outside.

The bartender glanced up at HK, he looked about to say something, but then the droid raised the blaster rifle he carried, letting all see that he was not defenseless. The bartender said nothing, looking away quickly.

Keera looked around; finally, she noticed a sign behind them, seeing it for the first time.

It said: **No droids/No disintegrations**.

She smiled at the first part.

HK was no mere servant, and he went where he wished, if the bartender wished to enforce what was on that sign, he would find that HK was more than up to the task of dealing with any complaint.

Perhaps the man recognized what model of droid HK was, either that, or the weapon her assassin carried convinced the man the value of keeping his mouth shut.

Either way, she was pleased.

Let the people here be afraid of us, right from the start.

It would make matters go farmore…smoothly.

She did not have to push her way up to the bar, the Rodian and two Duro standing their quickly made way.

Keera pulled down her scarf and smiled as the bartender came up to her.

"What can I get you, my good femm?" he asked.

Keera smirked and opened her robe, showing the man her lightsaber.

The man's eyes widened slightly, but beyond that, his expression remained bland.

He bowed respectfully, not missing a beat, she had to admit; she was impressed.

"My apologizes, my lord," he said quickly, "What can I get you?"

"Information," she replied leaning in closer.

"I seek the bounty hunter, Kalo Nord."

The man sniffed.

"You mean the thug that goes into a bar and orders a glass of ice water?"

Keera smiled at that.

Now that she thought about it, there was something…_decadent_ about drinking ice water on a desert planet, something that suggested that you just didn't care.

She would need to remember that.

"That is him, I suppose, he is here then?"

The bartender nodded.

"He is in the back booth," the man informed her, "Young man, slim build, wearing sunglasses and leather armor. He is the one with the two girls sitting with him."

Keera looked over the man's shoulder, and sure enough, there her quarry sat.

"Thank you," she said flipping a hundred credit chip onto the bar.

The man took it without another word, not missing a beat; the coin vanished into his pocket.

"This is a loyal establishment, my lord," the man informed her, "if there is a need for violence, please try to keep it to minimum."

"There will be no violence, good sir," she promised, "Merely a business discussion.

She slipped away with Dym at her heels. Holli and HK found a spot at the opposite end of the room, a perfect place to cover their lord if they needed.

Keera did not think it would be necessary.

Kalo Nord was a business man, and she was simply here to do business.

Keera sized him up as she approached.

She was not sure what to make of him.

Kalo Nord was young, she was guessing early to mid-twenties. He was thin as a whip, but muscular in the arms and legs. His pale head was shaved, with only a hint of red stubble covering his scarred scalp. His black leather armor was covered by a dark blue over coat, and he had a blaster strapped to each hip, but that was not all…

She gave the young man an arched look.

She thought she could see a pair of lightsabers on his belt. Reaching out with the Force, she realized why the young man had made such an impression so soon.

"Master," Dym murmured, "This man is…"

"I sense it too, apprentice."

Keera smiled.

How interesting.

This Kalo Nord was Force sensitive, she could feel it, but he seemed neither light nor dark, but something radically both. The Force that swirled around him was colored a deep dull grey.

Interesting, she thought.

Most interesting.

The bounty hunter barely acknowledged the two Sith as they approached him. Kalo Nord was too busy teasing the two women sharing his booth. Both were almost draped over him, one on each shoulder. One Twi'lek and one human, both scantily clad. Nord had taken an ice cube from his drink, and took turns running it over the girls' bare skin, both squealed whenever he touched them, giggling and grinning. The human girl reached into the drink, and plucked another cube; she popped it into her mouth, and kissed the bounty hunter deeply.

When she pulled away, Kalo Nord, now held the cube between his teeth, the girl grinned hungrily at him. She was clearly enjoying the game.

Keera rolled her eyes and cleared her throat.

She had neither the time nor the patience for man to finish playing with his toys.

She had a Sith Inquisitor to kill.

Kalo Nord noticed her for the first time; he smiled at her, as the girls snuggled closer to him; The Twi'lek draping her lekku over his shoulder.

Despite the dim light of the cantina, Kalo's eyes remained covered by a pair of dark glasses. Keera could just make out her reflection in those lenses.

If the bounty hunter was intimidated by the two Sith, he did not show it.

"You must be Lord Avaryss," he said, sounding a bit bored, "Kalo Nord at your service."

"Greetings, bounty hunter," she said with a curt nod, "Send away your toys, we need to talk."

"Our discussion won't take that long, my lord," he promised, "You're here about Inquisitor Chayn, yes?"

She nodded.

"My price is thirty thousand, for that you get the man's head and any trophies you might require."

"Thirty thousand," Keera said nodding, "Very well."

"Any apprentices that the man has with him will be extra; two thousand apiece. Those are my standard rates for killing a Force sensitive."

Keera smiled.

Well…he certainly was…confident.

"Is that the price you quoted Inquisitor Chayn?" she asked, "Was that what you wanted for **my** head?"

"It was," Nord admitted, "He did not want to meet my rates. I don't negotiate on price, Lord Avaryss, you either want my services or you don't."

Dym glared down at him.

"You admit to seeking to kill, my master?" the Muun growled.

"I admit to offering to take a contract," the bounty hunter replied.

He glanced back at Keera.

"I see you brought a banker with you, nice to know you have access to your credits.

The girls giggled.

Dym hissed angrily.

"I'm a Sith apprentice, churl," he said, "I was also a lawyer."

He grinned at the man.

"Which means I know all the legal loop holes to avoid being arrested when the local security come to claim your body."

"It also means you're the most corrupt barve in here," Kalo said dryly, "Lucky you."

Keera felt the anger building in her apprentice; she shot him a look and shook her head.

The two men had just met, and already they were engaging in a pissing contest.

No. She had no time for childish games.

"So you did not take the job; Chayn's contract on me?" she asked.

"Nope," the bounty hunter replied, "As I said he decided to be a cheap."

Lucky me; Keera thought with an amused smile.

"I take it the man did not take no for an answer?"

"He didn't," Kalo said with a slight frown, "He thought I was _**insulting **_him, that I should lower my rates for a man of his…stature."

Kalo smirked.

"He sent five thugs to voice his displeasure; I sent their heads back to his enclave in a box. If someone does not want to pay for my services, that is fine, but I set my rates, and decide who I work for. The Inquisitor did not respect that, so I sold him to you and your master."

The bounty hunter shrugged.

"I trust that you are not going to be as cheap as Chayn was."

Keera laughed.

Confident, this one…

…maybe too confident.

"I will meet your price; Kalo Nord, and pay an extra twenty thousand if my team and I are allowed to accompany you."

That comment made the young man frown.

"I work alone, my lord, and besides, if something were to happen to you. If you were killed during the mission, or had an accident on the way, my paycheck might get lost."

Kalo gave her a cold smile.

"I try to keep my clients alive, at least until I have their credits in hand."

"Understandable," Keera replied, "I believe there is a hunter's guild office somewhere in Mos Ila? I shall transfer your payment to an escrow account there; that way your payment will be safe, and payable upon confirmation of the target's death."

She gave him a smile as cold as his.

"Thought, if you are thinking of luring me into the desert, killing me, and trying to collect on both me and Inquisitor Chayn, know that you will not have an easy time of it. My team is loyal, and they will avenge their master if it comes to that."

Kalo sneered at the veiled threat.

"I'm not the type to break contract like that, my lord. I'm a businessman, and I live by my reputation; that reputation would suffer if my clients thought they needed to fear me taking out a second contract before the first one is completed. You pay for my services; I'm your man until the job is done."

Keera gave him an amused look.

"A man of principles, how reassuring." She said.

Kalo shrugged dismissively.

"I'm a man of standards, Lord Avaryss. It is why I can charge so much for my skills, my clients know they are getting the best, and to answer your earlier question, there is a guild office in this town, your suggestion is acceptable."

"Good," Keera nodded, "We have a deal then?"

"Ten thousand, up front," Kalo said, "For allowing you and your people to accompany me. The rest will be paid upon completion of the job, and confirmation of merchandise's…retirement."

"Done," Keera said, "I will transfer the first part of the payment before we leave, and the rest of the money will be held in the guild office until the job is done."

"Very well," Kalo said with a curt nod, "You may consider my services engaged."

The hunter grinned.

"Shall we have a drink to celebrate our deal? The storm still rages and I still have two…_matters _to attend to."

The girls at the bounty hunter's side giggled, they snuggled closer to the young man. Keera resisted the urge to roll her eyes, not that she could affect his choice in any way.

They would have to wait after all, until the storm subsided, let the hunter have his fun, if he is as good as the dossier she had found on him had said, he would be worth the trouble.

"Why not," she said with a friendly smirk, "Dym, be a good apprentice and bring me a drink."

"Yes, my lord," the Muun said with a bow.

"What would please you?"

Keera grinned.

Chayn and Darth Feer's blood would be nice, but she would have those soon enough, for now…she might as well indulge.

"What else apprentice," she said playfully.

"Ice water."


	45. A Savage Beast

**Chapter 45: A Savage Beast**

"We're surrounded, no one make any sudden moves."

Keera blinked as she surveyed the dunes around them, both with her eyes and the Force.

The desert around them was desolate; it was just endless dunes of empty sand, with the occasional dust devil spinning its way across the surface.

I sense nothing, she thought, but…that does not mean that nothing is there.

Kalo Nord had led them into the dune sea, taking them to Inquisitor Chayn's stronghold; the fall back spot he fled to after his schemes against Darth Feer had failed.

Keera had welcomed the chance to go, when the storm had finally died down. As he had before, Darth Feer's man on Tatooine had provided them all with swoop bikes. According to Kalo, to approach Chayn's base from the air would be suicide, its defenses designed to deal with any attempted air assault, or at the very least, in the case of a full scale bombardment from orbit, endure for a few minutes, to buy enough time for the Inquisitor to escape.

Keera did not want that, Chayn could not be allowed to escape. She would not wait for the man to rest, rearm, and come after her again.

_No, this game would end here. She would end it by taking the man's fool head._

He would die…just as his foolish, faithless daughter had done.

…and she would _revel_ in it.

They had been riding for almost a half hour when Kalo ordered them to stop. The Dark Lord had been about to protest, when Kalo informed them all that they were surrounded.

Now here they were, stopped in the middle of the desert. Keera and Dym rode on their own bikes, while Holli and HK had doubled up on the other.

Keera dismounted and looked around; she still could not sense anything. Her hand started to drift to her lightsaber.

"I wouldn't," Kalo warned, "These people tend to be a little bit…twitchy when it comes to strangers.

As she watched Kalo pulled up the white silk scarf he had been wearing, using it to cover the rest of his face, and then, from the cargo rack he had attached to his speeder, he pulled out a large bag and held it up in the air.

_What is this?_ She wondered.

_What was the hunter playing at now? _

He tossed the bag down and in front of them, dismounting from his own bike; he walked out and stood before the fallen offering. He did not draw his weapons, simply stood…waiting.

Keera watched curiously, her apprentice approached her from behind.

"What is going on," Dym growled, "We are wasting time! We should…"

It was at that moment that two creatures appeared from behind the large sand dune before them, clad from head to toe in brown and tan cloth, the humanoids approached the Bounty Hunter and his party.

From beneath her protective lenses, Keera's eyes narrowed.

She was angry that these…things had gotten so close without being noticed, but at the same time…she was intrigued.

It was not easy to sneak up on a Sith, it spoke much about these creatures' skill.

That was some trick, she thought, she had not even sensed the two aliens.

A most impressive display!

Both of the creatures wielded curved war clubs, their faces were completely swaddled against the desert sun and heat. Plug-like lenses hid their eyes, while their mouths were hidden behind some kind of rebreather masks.

Even to a Sith, they were quite intimidating.

The larger of the two aliens, possibly the leader, roared at Kalo, a battle cry that was a cross between a Tukata's bark and a human's scream.

Kalo Nord did not back down, or run away, he stood his ground, watching and waiting.

_Say what you like about the hunter_, she thought, _but one thing is clear._

He is **not** easily intimidated.

From behind her she felt Holli's surprise; the engineer had likely never encountered anything like these strange creatures.

"What are they?" Holli gasped, "Are they human?"

"Clarification:" HK chimed in, "These are Tusken Raiders, or more commonly known by the slang of this world: the sand people. Historical texts suggest that these are the original inhabitants of this world, though that it still up for debate in some circles."

_The locals then_, Keera thought with a smirk, _no wonder she had not been able to sense their approach._

_This desert protects its secrets, guards them greedily; is it any surprise that creatures born of it would be so hard to sense?_

When she had first come to this world, she had still been too green to appreciate the subtle way that the Force moved here, she had been too focused on her mission. Though the destruction of that Republic safe house had started her on the path to greatness, she now realized just how many times she had stumbled that day. She had been so focused on a single tree, that she did not see the forest around her, it had been a mistake.

Now, with time and perspective she understood just how interesting Tatooine truly was.

Some would look at it and see nothing here, just indigenous tribes and scavengers. They would be mistaken.

This planet was…so much more.

Tatooine had been important once. Life had flourished here; it had left its mark. Keera could not say what happened, what changed this world so drastically, one thing was for sure, the Force was not dead here, it had changed, becoming more predatory. These sand people were proof of that; she could only imagine how harsh their existence was.

Life here…it was all about adaptation. The Jawas had survived by becoming useful to off worlders, traders and creatures of business. The Tuskens were warriors, fierce and predatory; she could sense the hostility even from here.

Keera grinned.

These were creatures that knew the dark side, they may not recognize it, or feel it, but it had them in its sway. Harsh environments bred conflict, and it was conflict that satisfied the dark side more than anything.

It was no wonder that Inquisitor Chayn had decided to flee here.

It was not Dromund Kaas or Korriban, but the savagery of this place would welcome him, just as it welcomed her.

Now…it was simply the matter of determining which of them was stronger.

Keera was determined that it would be her.

The young dark lord watched as Kalo raised his hands, gesturing to the two Tuskens. There was a brief moment of indecision, but then the leader responded, using similar signs.

Keera did not know what the signs meant, what the two were saying, but it was clear that the hunter had established a rapport.

The smaller of the sand people scooped up the bag that Kalo had dropped and opened it over the desert floor. It contained trinkets; bars of base metal, rough spun brown fabric, a box of breathing mask filters, as well as several other mechanical devices, devices that one might find on the common Sith utility belt.

The larger warrior loomed over his fellow inspecting the goods. Then with a nod he gestured for the other warrior to refill the bag, and turned to Kalo; more gestures were passed between them, and then the two warriors turned and left, the smaller one lugging the bag, the offerings that the bounty hunter had left.

_Tribute_, Keera realized in that moment, _they were paying tribute to these creatures_.

Her Sith pride bristled at that, but any anger she felt quickly passed.

She had not sensed the Tuskens' approach, who knew how many others might be hiding out there?

Kalo returned to the party, pulling down his scarf and revealing his face.

"We have safe passage now," he informed them, "As long as we don't attack any Tusken or Bantha we are granted the right to past unmolested through these lands."

Dym sneered at him.

"We could have just easily killed them," the Muun said, "What savage stands a chance before the power of the dark side."

"You think there is no more than those two out there?" Kalo asked, "The clan has been tracking us for a while now, I saw at least two herds of Banthas as we passed."

Kalo shook his head.

"I'm guessing there are probably thirty or forty warriors out there right now, **watching** us. Could we take them? Maybe. Of course, that means that we would be fighting a running battle on our way to Inquisitor Chayn's enclave, we would arrive with depleted weapons, and numerous injuries."

He turned to Keera.

"Surprise is wiser than a full scale assault, at least until we breach the outer defenses. I've scoped out the layout of the place, it is designed to keep a large force out, and hold out against a strike from space, a lone warrior or small team should be able to infiltrate the place, no problem."

Keera nodded, the bounty hunter's logic was sound.

Why waste their energy fighting the sand people if they did not need to. It would be a good diversion, but would not contribute to her final goal. It might even hinder the search for that prize.

"We shall accept the terms that Kalo has brokered, Dym," she informed her apprentice. "We will have our share of blood soon enough, and with it, a victory over an enemy that has overreached himself for the very last time."

Dym snorted, but he was smart enough not to argue with his master, not in front of others.

"As you say, my lord," he said bowing to Keera.

She turned her attention back to Kalo.

"Well done, bounty hunter."

He smirked at her.

"I'm looking at a sixty thousand credit payday when this is done, my lord. I can afford to buy several hundred credits worth of trinkets to bribe the natives"

A wise attitude, she thought, Kalo continued to impress her.

"Tell me about Chayn's defenses," she inquired, "What kind of resistance can we expect."

"Fifty troopers, at least, plus a company of those battle droids you Sith like to deploy. I didn't get a chance to see the whole place, but it looks like the Inquisitor is working out of one of the mobile bases your military uses when establishing a beach head on a new world. It set down over what might have been an old mining complex, I think your boy repurposed it, turned it into some kind of research center. I saw people in lab coats, scientists and technicians."

Keera considered that.

_Scientists and technicians_, it sounded like Chayn had not simply come to this world to hide after all. He may have had a purpose here, a purpose that her master had not decided to share with her.

No surprise there, she thought, the last year or so of her training he had tried to keep her in the dark, or rather…keep Avy in the dark.

Keera shook her head.

It was strange how easily she identified with Avy now, how she had started to view her former self as simply being an extension of her.

And why not, she thought, I've claimed this body as my own, its experiences are mine by right as well.

For all intended purposes, she was Avaryss, all that was hers is now mine.

Everything her other-self had been was now hers.

One day she would reveal her true nature, but, then again, Darth Keera did not sound as intimidating as Darth Avaryss.

She frowned slightly.

Perhaps she should keep the name, as a trophy, if nothing else.

"We can expect some security probes on the perimeter," Kalo continued, "but they are not too bright. I already have a way around them."

'So," Dym said, "We disable the probes, and slip in undetected."

The Muun nodded.

"What happens once were inside?"

Keera gave him a predatory smile.

"That apprentice," she purred, "Is when the fun begins."

The thought made her shiver.

Yes.

Such fun!

IOI

It was just turning first dusk when they reached Chayn's hideaway, the group brought the swoop bikes to a stop a safe distance from the probes' patrol route; not wishing to be picked up on their scanners, yet.

Kalo went in alone, his plan to get them inside was fairly straight forward, and what he would have done had he come here on his own. The hunter had memorized the timing of guard's patrols. Before dusk he had noticed that Chayn would send out a single speeder of guards to do one final check of the perimeter before the base shut down for the night. A team of four, he had observed the troopers stopping random probes to collect data before heading back to the facility.

He would disable several the droids using ion charges; he would do this at the opposite side the facility that Keera and her crew intended to enter. When the guards stopped to check on the droids, he would deal with them, and use the attack as a diversion to draw out the base's defenders. While he was doing that, a group of secondary ion charges would disable the probes closest to Keera and her party, offering them a chance to slip in with minimal resistance. The plan was for the hunter to rendezvous with them once he had cleared the perimeter.

An audacious plan, she thought, if the guards proved too many, Kalo would likely be killed, a fact that she brought up when he told her what he intended to do.

He merely smiled.

"Don't worry about me, my lord; I don't intend to die out here, not when I have such a large reward waiting when this job is done.

It was arrogance on his part yes, but she sensed the strength in him, not the strength of a Sith, perhaps, but something formidable none the less.

She found herself growing eager to see what happened.

She wanted to see just what was left if the hunter survived.

Dym was hoping that he would fail; there had been animosity between the two since they had met. Keera did not doubt that her apprentice would not come to the man's rescue if he was overwhelmed.

Nor should he, she realized, if the fool was stupid enough to get caught unaware, he deserved to die.

Plus, she would not need to pay him if he did not survive, it would be a win, win scenario.

As they waited for Kalo's diversion to start, she turned her attention to her loyal servants. Dym gripped his lightsaber while he paced, eager to get this party started. HK Sigma 3 stood at attention, his blaster rifle held aloft in one hand. Holli knelt down beside her bike, doing a last minute system's check on her weapon.

Keera approached her with a smile.

"It is nearly time Lujayne," she said, "Perhaps you should change into something a bit more…comfortable?"

The Commander smiled up at her.

"An excellent idea, my lord," she replied, the "x" in _excellent_ coming out like a lizard's hiss. A forked tongue flicked out from the engineer's mouth.

As Keera watched Holli began to change, her human feature's faded and were replaced by a thick hide of green scales, her mouth elongated turning into a cruel muzzle filled with sharp teeth.

Where Holli had sat, now stood a Trandoshan warrior, the engineer's armor, which had been several sizes too big, now fit like a glove.

Keera nodded.

Good.

Dym's eyes widened at the change, he turned to his master.

"I thought the commander was human?" he asked.

Keera chuckled.

"She is…most of the time," she replied dryly.

Holli let out a hissing laugh, enjoying the Muun's surprise and discomfort.

Keera pinned him with a cold gaze.

"Holli's secret is **mine** to protect," she told the Muun, "She had proven very valuable to my house in the past. I would be most displeased if anyone outside of House Avaryss learned the truth."

She gave him a shark-like smile.

"I trust you can keep a secret, for your sake."

Dym nodded, he did not even take offense at her veiled threat.

"Of course, my master," he said bowing his head, "_Your _secrets are **my **secrets."

She nodded, pleased with his answer.

She regarded the distant base with a cool evaluating eye.

"When the attack begins, things will happen quickly. Dym, you will make your way to the roof of the facility and destroy their communications array. They must not be allowed to call for help."

"It will be done, my lord," her apprentice promised.

"HK will destroy any escapes vehicles, our prey must have nowhere to run when the attack begins in earnest."

The droid's optics focused on her.

"Proud boast: It will be done, master, the Meatbags will never know what hit them."

"Holli will access their computer system, download anything of value, but be prepared to destroy the rest. Whatever it is that Chayn is up to out here, his secrets will be mine."

"Yessss, my lord," the now Trandoshan engineer replied.

Keera's gaze returned to the facility, her smile bright again.

"Chayn is mine, he will die suffering by my hand, once this is done; we will all rendezvous and retreat back into the night. We should also keep an eye out for a self-destruct button down there somewhere; we can afford no witnesses, and leave no survivors. We must…"

The evening suddenly turned into the brightest of days!

An explosion on the other side of the facility shook the very ground where they stood. Keera was not sure what caused it, and didn't care.

There is Kalo's distraction, she thought with an amused smile.

He is playing my song!

Normally, before a fight, she played mental games with herself, psyching herself, turning the nervous fear she always had before a battle into anger and hate. She no longer needed to do that, not since Nar Shadda.

The hate and bloodlust came over her in a matter of seconds. The fact that the people they were about to face were fellow Imperials did not matter, not anymore.

They are in my way, she thought.

They will die for that!

As the sound of weapons fire filled the night, she reached out with the Force, sensing the battle below, a group of secondary explosions went off, not as spectacular as the first, but still potent.

These were the ion charges closest to them, the door was now open.

They were clear to proceed.

The last thing she remembered before the rage over took her was Nass' face, her old enemy appeared in her mind's eye, calling her nothing, filth, a peasant.

Keera snarled.

You know nothing of me, Nass, she thought.

You and your father ARE nothing!

She raised her lightsaber, lighting the blade as she shrieked out a battle cry.

"BLOOD AND HATE!"

She leapt forward, surging towards Chayn's base like a tidal wave. The Force granted her great speed, she shot like a blaster bolt towards her enemy's position. She noticed four soldiers lugging what looked like to be a heavy cannon and its tripod towards one of the base's land speeders.

They never got the chance to reach it.

She was upon them like a shadow, a blur to the naked eye.

She sliced off their arms and elbow, their heavy load tumbling into the sand as shrieked in shock and terror!

She did not let them suffer long, she was merciful.

She spun around and beheaded them before they could flee too far.

She barely acknowledged the deaths; her desire to kill was overwhelming now. In that moment, she was lost to her rage, what her late father would likely have called: "Having her dander up."

It was far more than that, the dark side was singing in her thirsty for death and destruction.

More, she thought, more victims, I MUST have MORE!"

She made for the closest building, unsure of where the rest of the team was, and in that moment, she really did not care!

Nass' voice was ringing in her ears. Calling her filth, peasant, and so many other insults, her hatred of her former trio partner was all powerful and all consuming.

Through the haze she saw a few technicians moving on a walkway some twenty feet above her. The dark side did not let the distance stand in her way. She leapt straight up and landed on the walkway, landed in front of her victims. They gasped in surprise.

These were not soldiers, they were not even armed. She thought of saying something terrifying and witty before she destroyed them, but the rage was too much, the beast within too hungry.

She was not Keera Lylos at that moment, she was not Darth Avaryss. She was the darkness itself, a shadow that hungered for death and destruction.

She reached out with the Force, seized and slammed them into the facilities metal wall, she did this again and again shattering bone and flesh with every strike, and still…

…It was not enough!

She needed more, more suffering, more PAIN!

"FEED ME!" the darkness within her wailed.

"BRING ME MORE!"

She tossed the shattered flesh that had been the technicians away. She darted into the facility, determined to take more lives, determined to have them all.

I WILL NOT BE STOPPED!

I WILL NOT BE SATED!

THE SHADOW IS ALL!

Alarms were blaring all around her, she could imagine Nass' father looking up from whatever work he was doing, wondering what was happening!

She took a shuddering breath, wanting only to peel the flesh from his bones!

You are going to join your daughter, she thought.

You are going to become nothing but a bleached skeleton in the desert, just as your daughter's bones now decorate the Valley of the Dark Lords.

Boot steps approached her; it was another company of guards, these backed up by two heavy battle droids.

They all seemed to wear Nass' face.

"Give me the lightsaber, farm girl," they said in unison.

"I need it to finish my training."

The gall of the girl, the shadow thought, the gall!

First she murders my fiancé, now she wants me to give up everything that I've fought for, everything I've worked for.

No.

She hissed at the legion of Nass' standing before her.

"You want my lightsaber?" she hissed, "YOU WANT MY SABER!"

The shadow flung the blade, letting it spin through the Force, it moved like a saw blade. Some of the Nass squad got out of the way, but not all. Those that died only fueled her power, whetting her appetite for more.

The spell was on her lips in seconds, she raised her hands gesturing, and speaking in the ancient Sith tongue. It was a spell worthy of the high priests that had once ruled over Korriban, the ones that tended a living world instead of a graveyard.

The Sith magic struck the survivors the flesh began to melt off their bones, they looked like so many candles, helpless before the rage of the shadow, and the power of the dark side!

The war droids fell from a Force push; she turned their metal bodies into battering rams, smashing through the closest wall and out the other side.

A door slid open a scientist stumbled into the hall; he looked upon the shadow with horror.

She did not bother with the lightsaber or her magic. She simply rushed him and seized him by the head; she twisted it vicious, snapping bone with the ease of crumpling a piece of paper…

And it was still not enough!

The shadow needed MORE! The very world had turned blood red!

_DESTROY,_ it thought!

_**KILL THE UNIVERSE!**_

_**IOI**_

Sometime later…Keera woke up.

She found herself standing in a control room, alarms blaring all around her.

She blinked and shook her head. It seemed that the blood lust had been sated…at least…for now.

She looked around her; the control room was littered with bodies, some in lab coats, and others in Sith uniforms.

She looked down at her hands; they were stained with blood, her robes splattered with it

She wiggled her fingers; human hand was as stained as her metal one.

Now, she thought, I have two red hands.

The thought made her giggle, she could not help it. It was funny!

She looked down at the bodies and sneered.

Mundanes, she thought with a disgusted sneer.

You are filth!

You are nothing!

You exist only to feed MY power!

Feeling a real sense of supremacy for the first time in a while, she went to the nearest control panel; it looked like it controlled the holo cams that watched over this place.

She began to type, the officers had not had time to lock down the system; she still had full access.

She decided to check in on her followers, to make sure that everything was still going as planned.

It took a few moments to cycle through the system, but slowly, one image after another she verified that her servants were carrying out her plan.

A camera on the roof revealed the destroyed communications array, that and two dead Sith Acolytes. She could not see Dym, but when she reached out with the Force, she could still sense his presence, his excitement at losing himself in the battle.

She nodded, so far she was pleased with his performance…so far.

Another camera showed her where the facility's, vehicles were stowed, or had been stowed. Burning wreckage was all that remained. HK had done his job well. As she watched she saw a pair of scientists come staggering into view, they looked at the destroyed vehicles and started to turn away to try and go back inside.

Two blaster bolts later, both lay dead, just two more bodies among the others that lay scattered around the wreckage, she could not see from the view where HK had set up his sniper nest, but she did not need to.

She was pleased.

Her droid was doing what she asked.

Two images later she spotted Holli, still in her Trandoshan form, defending a data port while her pad, now plugged into the socket downloaded the bases information. The changeling seemed to be having little trouble with guards, either too many had been drawn off by Kalo's diversion, or Chayn's people were simply not that good at their job.

A cruel smile came to Keera's lips.

Speaking of Kalo, she wondered how the Bounty Hunter was doing. He did not seem to be in the facility yet. She again cycled through the camera angles trying to locate him. Hoping to…

Keera froze as the camera locked on. It was a small courtyard outside of the main building. More images of death and destruction, and that was not all.

Oh, Keera thought licking her lips; he throat had suddenly gone quite dry.

Oh…my!

Kalo stood alone against the forces of Inquisitor Chayn. The bounty hunter had shed his coat and sunglasses, his slim muscular frame on full display as he engaged his enemies.

Her heartbeat quickened, her body warmed as she watched the slaughter.

It was…was…she had no words.

Oh my.

Kalo had holstered his blasters, he did not need them. He fought with two lightsabers, one red the other green. He didn't just attack the Inquisitor's men; he tore into them like whirlwind, a storm unleashed.

It was beautiful!

As she watched he flipped over a speeder with the Force crushing two troopers. A third he picked up with the Force, and blasted the man with Force lightning, he flung the still crackling body into a fuel dump causing it to explode, flinging shrapnel everywhere, everywhere but in the path of the hunter. A Sith Acolyte leapt to stop his advance and was pushed back.

Incredible!

Both Keera and Avaryss had considered themselves masters of the lightsaber, though she preferred the styles of Makashi, Soresu, and Shien, she was no stranger to the other forms, she had needed to be when confronting other Sith or Jedi.

Kalo Nord…he did not fight with the traditional forms, his style was as chaotic as it was powerful. The acolyte could not stand up to the man's power, he was overwhelmed and quickly crushed; .Kalo's blade leaving his body in three cauterized pieces.

Vicious, Keera thought.

The man is a savage!

She took a shuddering breath.

She had not been so turned on in all her life.

She drew the camera in for a close up, for the first time she got a look at Kalo's face, at the eyes he hid behind his glasses.

The sight made her shiver.

Now she understood why he chose to hide his eyes, they were two icy pools that took in everything, and gave up nothing; they were dead…cold as stone.

He had no real training, she could tell that, he used the Force like a club, like a bludgeon, but that did not take away from his raw power.

He is a savant, she realized, someone who uses the dark side without really understanding how, his rage and vengefulness are in perfect sync with the power that he is tapping.

It was incredible.

Go to him, a lustful voice whispered in the back of her mind. Have him here, right in the middle of this battlefield.

She found herself remembering the two girls at the cantina. What were they? They were play thing.

She would go to him and show him what a real woman was like. They would tear off their armor and give in to their darkest and most base desires! He would quickly learn the difference between the girls at the Cantina and a REAL woman. One who could use the dark side to give him a night of pleasure unlike any he had ever known! She would…

_What are you thinking?_

Keera blinked.

_Have you completely __**forgotten**__ Ro?_

_Have you __**abandoned**__ Fenn!_

Keera shook her head, her conscience bringing her out of her dark desires.

It did have some uses, it seemed.

She frowned, but still could not stop admiring the bounty hunter's savagery.

Kalo is an animal, the darkness within her whispered, you are not. You control your power, it does not control you.

Do not be a slave to your base desires, you are a Dark Lord of the Sith…

…bloody act like one.

Keera took another deep breath, calming herself.

Yes, she thought.

As exciting as it would be to seize this young man, it was not what she was here for.

She took one final look at the monitor, and then put her metal fist through the glass, shattering the screen and banishing the image.

She stood back and nodded grimly.

I will not lose control again, she promised herself.

I do not lose control, I seize control!

She left the dead where they lay, she reached out with the Force, trying to find Nass' father.

He owed her his head.

She was coming to collect.

The thought made her smile.

I'm no savage beast, she thought.

I'm something worse.

A beast would just destroy Chayn, she was not that merciful.

The man would suffer, he would end screaming.

You will burn you bastard, she said with a wide hungry grin.

You are nothing!

I…I am the inferno!

Lightning crackled between her fingers.

It was time…to burn!


	46. The Lord Inquisitor

**Chapter 46: The Lord Inquisitor**

Abomination.

It was the only word that would describe the creature that had come crawling out of the shadows. It limbs far too long, strange webbing beneath its arms, and, if she was not mistaken, small stunted wings which flapped erratically on the creature's back.

Keera wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Damn, she thought.

What in the Emperor's name was Chayn doing down here?

She had managed to find her way into the facilities lower levels, these were not part of the original design, the mobile base that had first sat down here. Kalo Nord had called this an abandoned mining complex; Tatooine had a habit of drawing in mining companies thinking that there were precious metals hidden beneath its sand.

Those companies had all gone broke for the most part, leaving their sand crawlers and droid's behind, fodder for the Jawas to scoop up resell or repurpose.

It seemed that the Jawa were not the only ones above a little repurposing, Chayn had clearly spent a great many credits turning this place into more than a simple hideaway. He clearly had come here with a purpose, a purpose that Keera was only now starting to figure out.

As she passed through the abandoned mining tunnels, she had noticed many familiar looking machines. Chayn's scientists and technicians had been very busy, what had once been a humble mine shaft was now a very extensive genetics lab and research facility.

Seeing it all brought a sneer to her lips.

_What was it with her enemies playing around with genetics, first Darth Terrog, and now Inquisitor Chayn?_

_Why was the obsession of creating life so important to her foes?_

As far as she knew, Chayn was neither an alchemist, nor a scientist. Nass had never mentioned those interests when she did speak of her father. No, mostly she spoke of his loyalty to the Empire, his cruelty to his daughter, and his lust for young women to service him as his next newest mistresses.

Keera shook her head.

What would such a man want with such a facility? What would they have to gain from all this?

It did not make sense.

She had passed by several large artificial wombs, growth tanks big enough to fit a full grown subject. These tanks were the same type she had noted on Terrog's station in the inferno nebula. Most of these were broken open, shattered glass crunched beneath her boots. The readouts on the machine were dark; power had likely been lost down here when the attack had begun.

Still…she could sense something special about these machines. She could feel a faint aura of the dark side around each of these containers a sense of pain and loss.

Not that it mattered now, she could care less what Chayn had been trying to create, right now; taking his head was all that mattered to her.

She reached out with the Force, intent on finding her prey. Chayn had not fled; she had made sure that escape was impossible.

It was time to draw the man out, to end the matters between them, to finish this bit of unfinished business.

As she reached out with the Force, something reached back, its agony and hate stopped her in her tracks.

It was then that foul thing before her crawled out of the shadows.

It snarled at her, waves of black hatred washed over the Sith Lord, taking her breath away.

_Interesting_, Keera thought, as she gripped her lightsaber tightly.

_Now what are __**you **__supposed to be?_

The creature growled as it remained in the shadows. Keera thought about using the Force to yank it out and impale it on her lightsaber, but thought better of it.

She was curious about what Chayn and his people had been working on…

…and how she might turn such work to her advantage.

"Okay then," she said giving the thing an evil smile.

"Let us see what you can do?"

She stood patiently, waiting for it to attack, it did not, it slid back, hissing and drooling like a diseased animal.

She took a step forward.

"Come on now," she taunted, "Don't be shy."

She activated her lightsaber, bathing the creature in crimson light; revealing its misshapen features.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her purple eyes widened.

The pale and misshapen, she knew the face that stared back at her, the large eyes, the spikey auburn hair, the pug nose…

Keera blinked.

She could not believe it!

"Nass?" she whispered.

The creature pulled back its lips and hissed at her.

"FRRRRMMM GRRRRRL!"

Keera's shock passed, the rage and bloodlust returned.

"You're dead," she hissed.

The creature roared at her.

She roared right back.

"YOOOOOOOU'R DEEAAADD!"

Keera raised her lightsaber.

The attack came from behind.

Claws, like razors, tore through her robes and her back!

AGONY!

She howled and whirled around, lightning flashed from her fingertips.

Another of the monster's shrieked and flew back.

Before Keera could leap and impale it, two more of the creatures attacked, these two striking from both the left and the right of her.

The first of the beasts then joined its fellows; it leapt onto Keera's back, its weight sending her face first into the rocky ground. Her cheek struck the stone, as skin scraped off.

"FRRRRRRRM GRRRRL!" it howled in her ear.

It was cry that the other three took up

All four were on her then, grabbing and groping at her, one pulled on her metal arm, trying to tear it from its socket. Another sank its teeth into her thigh. Another wrenched at the lightsaber still gripped in her hand, trying to disarm her.

The original beast ran its tongue across the tear on her back, Keera's flesh burned, she heard a hissing sound.

"RRRRRAAAAAAAGH!"

A wave of dark side energy exploded from the dark lord the four creatures were blown back, three striking the walls and ceiling of the cavern, the fourth managed to hold on, gripping tightly to her metal arm.

Keera rewarded its tenacity with a quick death; she activated the crystals in her arm.

A blast of pure darkside energy exploded from the stone built into the palm of her hand, the stone that had once belonged to Exar Kun!

The energy incinerated the beast, with final howl of defiance and pain it burned it blue flames of pure hate and rage.

Keera staggered to her feet, both her back and her thigh were burning.

She hissed and glared at the creatures.

Acid, she thought.

Its saliva is acidic!

The monsters made a sound that might have been laughter; the one that had licked her back ran its long tongue over the blood on its lips. She felt a wave of pleasure from the monster.

She was disgusted.

These…Nass-things were hungry!

They wanted to eat her!

The realization sickened the dark lord.

What had Chayn created here?! These were not just some alchemical monsters!

They were a profanity!

_**Abominations!**_

Keera fell back spinning her blade defensively, the howling beast within her wanted to come out, repay the creatures in kind for what they had done, but her self-control won out…this time.

These things were too dangerous to simply leap at them and hope for the best.

The three remaining creatures tried to close the distance between them.

"FRRRRM GRRRRL!" the first one said.

The two others repeated the cry.

The world turned red, fury like a fusion furnace ready to go into overload filled Keera, burning in her breast like a lethal poison, a poison that could kill an entire world!

In her head she could hear Nass' voice, remembered how her former comrade and murderer of her fiancé had looked during their final meeting.

"_Give me the lightsaber, Farm Girl!"_

"_Peasant, you are not worthy to be here!"_

_You are nothing Farm Girl!"_

"_Dirt!"_

"_Filth!"_

"_Nothing!"_

"_Farm Girl!"_

Keera's heart pounded, the pain in her back and in her thigh barely registering.

Her lips pulled back into a sneer.

"You want my lightsaber, Nass?" she asked the monsters, "Huh? Do you want it? HM?"

The beasts looked about to spring on her again.

She didn't give them the chance.

"_**YOU WANT IT, NASS! HAVE MY SABER! IT IS ALL YOURS!"**_

Keera flung her weapon at the monsters, they dodged, and it flew past them, but the attack was not done, the spinning blade came back around; driven by the power of the Force, it whirled back around, towards the misshapen creatures.

The blade bit deep into the shoulder of one cleaving deep into its chest, the monster howled and stumbled its flesh burning as the blade drove itself deeper and deeper. It lay struggling on the floor, trying to pull the weapon out as it cut deeper and deeper.

The remaining two creatures leapt at Keera. The dark lord did not retreat, she leapt to meet them.

The one on the right she shoved away with the Force, the one on the left she caught by the throat with her metal hand.

Keera shrieked like one of the damned into its face, the dark side giving her voice even more power, the sound stunning the creature.

In its dazed state it could not defend itself, she dug her metal fingers into its throat, not stopping until she felt warm blood splash her face, and still she was not satisfied.

You will suffer, Keera thought.

You will die choking on your own blood!

The monster clawed at her wrist, tearing at her sleeve, the claws sparked as they found metal, and crystal, Keera's left arm had no flesh to tear.

She sank her fingers deeper into the things neck; it began to whine, bubbling gurgles escaping from its mouth.

"Suffer," Keera hissed.

"DIE!"

She flung it away, the Force giving strength to her arm.

The beast hit head first, there was a loud crack.

It collapsed in a pile of tangled limbs.

The remaining Nass-thing snarled and fell back, its three siblings slain; it seemed a bit more hesitant to renew its attack.

Keera smiled, her face stained with the blood of one of the things.

"Don't run away," she said sweetly, "You still have a part to play!"

Whether drawn in by her taunt, or simply to feral to care. The creature leapt again.

Keera raised her hand.

Orange light flowed from her fingertips.

A life drain spell, it had been one of the earliest abilities she had mastered, not as strong as a death field, but still quite potent.

She drank up the life energy of Chayn's foul creation, it tried to reverse its momentum in midair save itself.

Keera did not allow that.

She grabbed at its leg, her hands glowed with orange energy, the creature howled, and slashed at her with its claws, tearing a chunk out of her breast plate, and ripping away the clasp of her robe.

Yet, she did not let go.

She needed energy.

She needed life.

She would have it.

She would have it all!

Her wounds burned, but that was not from any acid, the dark side energies within her were closing the wounds, burning away any poisons that these things carry, that they might have tried to infect her with.

She almost laughed.

Chayn was a fool.

Such freaks were no match for the true power of the dark side.

They were no match for her!

The creature's struggles grew weaker and weaker as she continued to drink of its life force.

Keera shuddered with delight, such wondrous hate.

So much sweet pain, it was…_**delicious!**_

"If there is anything of Nass within you," she purred, "you should have realized…"

Keera laughed.

"Life had only one purpose, to feed the strong, and I….I am strength given form! I AM A DARTH! All life dies to serve my power!

She looked down at the thing, its struggles so weak now it was almost laughable.

"You try to feed on me, now I feed on you,"

She gave it her most wicked smile.

"I'm the apex predator in this galaxy, and you…you are simply an appetizer."

The beast stopped struggling, its skin turn dry and cracked, dust escaped from its mouth as it breathed its last breath.

Keera shuddered as she snapped off the things, foot, the flesh and bone turning to dust in her hands.

So quickly, she thought with a frown.

Why is it always over so quickly?

She brushed the dust from her gloves.

How…disappointing.

She reached out with the Force and retrieved her lightsaber.

She licked her dry lips.

As was often the case, the thing's life energy had just left her hungry for more!

A most unsatisfying victim, she hoped that the Inquisitor would have more life in him.

This mission was starting to bore her.

The sound of a lightsaber behind her caused her to spin, her weapon once again flared to life.

She need not have worried.

She smirked.

"Hello, bounty hunter," she purred, "Enjoying your work, I see."

Kalo Nord stood before her, his armor scorched and burned in places, his arms and hands equally scarred.

He smiled at her, a cheery, yet cruel grin.

"Some jobs are more fun than others, my lord," he replied, throwing two lightsabers at her feet.

"Two apprentices," he informed her, "I killed them in the yard, you are aware of my charge for such things."

"Of course," she said sweetly, "I'm more than willing to pay for your…services."

She looked at him hungrily, wondering if he could sense her desire…her wish to reward him with more than just credits.

Perhaps he is not that subtle, she thought, if he was he would throw me on the ground and have me right here. I would offer no resistance.

The thought sent a chill down her spine.

Then he would know what it was like to be with a real woman!

He did not seem to pick up on her desires, perhaps he did not care; she sensed only greed in this one, a thirst for credits.

"Good," he said, those cold icy eyes of his seemed to look thought her, deep down into her soul.

She felt another shudder of excitement, a brief flash of lust and desire.

Those eyes, she thought looking over the hunter's toned body, so predatory, and yet…

Her smile faltered slightly.

They were also…familiar?

She could not place them, but she felt she had seen those eyes before, obviously not from Kalo, they had only just met, but…somewhere.

She would need to think on it.

Figure out where she had seen them before.

She was most intrigued.

She heard more voices; and the sound of heavy metallic feet.

She smiled.

The rest of her team had arrived.

Kalo shut down his lightsabers, and put his sunglasses back on he took his place at Keera's side. Dym and other arrived a few seconds later.

Her Muun apprentice fell to his knees. He bowed his head in submission.

"It is done, my lord," he said, "The facility is now yours."

Keera nodded.

Mine, she thought, was there ever a more perfect word?

"I have downloaded the bassssese filesss, my lord," Holli the Trandoshan hissed.

"Any sssecrets of thisss place are now yourssss."

"Proud report:" HK said, "all enemy transports have been disabled; no Meatbags shall escape your wrath, this day, master."

Keera nodded.

Her team, she thought, her loyal followers.

She was such a lucky Sith.

Who else could boast such allies?

She turned back to Kalo.

"I still need to find Chayn," she said.

"This way, my lord" he said with a tilt of his head, "The big Sith here had quarters on this level; I think he wanted to keep a close eye on the…things he was creating here."

Keera looked down at the dead monsters.

"You knew about these monsters?"

"I knew the Sith was growing something in these tanks," he said pointing to the destroy growth chambers.

"Beyond that…I knew nothing."

Dym glared at him, noticing the torn state of his master's robes.

"Avaryss could have been killed, bounty hunter," he growled, "You should have warned us."

"As I said before, Muun, I prefer to work alone, I warned you all that this place was dangerous."

"Enough," Keera said, "I still live, and task is all but done.

She smiled at the bounty hunter.

"Kalo has done his job, now we must do ours. Come…"

She smiled wickedly at her servants.

"The Lord Inquisitor is waiting."

IOI

The group was attacked twice more on their way to Chayn's safe room.

The first attack had been a company of Sith heavy troopers, the type of soldier used to back up the dark lords when they engaged Jedi. The time of men who had been trained to endure the suffering of an enemies Force abilities.

The attack proved useful, it gave Keera a chance to observe Kalo's powers up close.

Her level of intrigue with the bounty hunter continued to grow.

Kalo was no mere brawler; he knew more about the Force than he let on.

She could feel it.

Kalo knew how to focus his power, or rather…he knew enough. In battle he generated a disturbance field that was quite effective. Keera felt its effect as she engaged one of Chayn's guards. Her perception, her balance, even her ability to think rationally had been temporarily compromised.

He is far more than a common thug, she realized.

He could be…so much more.

"Why do you only hunt," she asked him, "You are strong…"

She gave him a wicked smile.

"Why are you not Sith?"

Kalo sneered at her question.

"Being one of your Empire's acolytes pays like poo doo," he responded, "As is…my skills are in great demand."

"Empire, Republic, Cartel, it doesn't matter to me, as long as I'm getting paid for my services…I'm content."

"Profits are all well and good," she said, "But you could have real power in the Empire. Wealth is just a trapping, pretty, but confining.

"Power…is eternal."

"Perhaps," he agreed, "But I have my own desires beyond mere power."

"You are after something? You have already found what you desire?"

"Maybe," he agreed.

Keera almost laughed.

Now she understood; Kalo was strong but not so strong as to completely hide his desires.

She knew…now.

"You seek to be more for a woman?"

Kalo did not respond. He did not need to.

Keera smirked.

"Great wealth will impress her?"

"It will impress those that think me unworthy of her." Kalo Nord responded.

"I've come too far to stop now. I've claimed this life, this identity, and soon no one in this galaxy will oppose my desires."

Keera nodded.

"Lucky girl," she said, "I do hope she is worth it."

"She is," Kalo said with a slight.

"…Worth killing for, and worth dying for."

The dark lord could not entirely help it.

She felt…jealous of this mysterious girl; the one that Kalo sought to impress."

Let him have his plaything, the darkness whispered in her mind.

You have Fenn and Ro, which is enough for any true Sith.

She nodded.

Yes, it was.

She had what she desired, one day, she would choose which would help her take the next step, to make House Avaryss a true family.

She was eager for that day to come.

The second attack was right before they reached the Inquisitor's chambers, two more of those Nass-things. These had bodies that were more snake-like, the wing like appendages on their backs were larger.

These beasts also fought with weapons, each wielded a light pike, steel blade on one end, a lightsaber on the other

Keera stood back while her servants dealt with them. Both Kalo and Dym proved quite effective.

She probably could have done the deed herself, but now that she could sense the Inquisitor's presence, she would do nothing to jeopardize her growing strength.

There was a chance of being injured by the creatures; she did wish to risk it.

Inquisitor Chayn was hers.

She would give the old fool no more of an advantage.

Keera stepped gingerly over the dead creatures, ordering Holli and HK to hold the door. Kalo offered to go in himself and end the Inquisitor's life, but she refused the offer.

Chayn was her threat; she preferred to end it herself.

He should have got the message after Korriban, now he was out of time.

Now, he would learn the lesson himself, and it would be a fatal one.

She Force pushed open the door to his chamber; she strode in like she owned the place.

The room was large and empty, no furniture, no art or flags on the walls.

It was not the type of quarters that someone would expect of an imperial loyalist, especially not a high inquisitor.

As for the man himself, he was not hard to find. Inquisitor Chayn stood in the center of the room, his hands behind his back. He did not even acknowledge her when she entered.

Keera sneered.

Arrogant fool.

Chayn was clad in the armor typical of a Sith high lord, crimson with purple highlights. His short auburn hair was greying, but still reminded her of his daughter. Yellow eyes glowed beneath a set of bushy eyebrows.

He stood before a large glass chamber, another birthing chamber, she could not make out what was inside from here, but she did not need to.

Another one of those creatures, she thought, but given the strange silhouette, it was clear that it was no mere monster.

Chayn sighed.

"And so you are here," he said, "Feer's lapdog chose to come herself.

He shook his head.

"A real Darth would have sent a servant; they would not have soiled their hands on such mundane work."

Keera smiled at him.

"I've always been a more hands on type of gal," she said.

Then she laughed wickedly.

"I like watching the light fade from my enemy's eyes. I like to feel them enter the madness beyond death."

She stepped forward and ignited her blade.

"I'm going to enjoy watching you die squealing."

If Chayn was afraid, he did not show it.

He merely shook his head.

"When I was first told of my daughter's fate, I wished only to punish you, to see you suffer for ending my line."

He turned to face her, his golden eyes flashing with barely contained rage.

"Now I see that I need not have wasted the effort."

He sneered at her.

"I don't need to kill you, you little peasant. Your life is over before it even had a chance to begin."

He chuckled.

"I will take solace in that."

Keera blinked, unsure of what he meant.

"What are you blathering about old man?"

His sneer turned into an arrogant smirk.

"Feer has hidden so much from you girl. I thought to use what has been done to you to my advantage, to recreate what was taken from me, and use your fate to make a new child for myself, one more powerful than the daughter you took from me."

He stepped aside so that she could get a good look at his "child."

What she saw shocked her.

Oh Chayn. What have you done?!

It was another creature, but unlike the ones she had fought in the mines, this one was larger, more human looking…

…more human, but not quite.

The arms and legs had the right proportions; it was also clearly female, all the parts were in the right place. It was bigger than Nass had been, though it did have her face. It had the large brown eyes, the pug nose, and spiky brown hair.

The only difference she could see was the short pointed ears and mouth slightly extended by a set of sharp pointed teeth. This creature also had full sized wings; they curled around the body, shuddering slightly with each breath.

Keera reached out to the creature through the Force.

She was shocked to discover that the beast was dreaming, when their minds touched she got a sense of what those dreams were.

It dreamed of Avaryss, of killing her, of tearing her to pieces.

Keera grinned.

Sadly, the beast would not get that chance.

She turned again to Nass' father.

"Why make these creatures?" she inquired, "Why not simply grow a strong human body?"

He sneered at her.

"That is your fault as well, peasant."

"My fault?"

He nodded grimly.

"I thought to make use of the changes going on within you. It was not easy to acquire a sample of your genetic material, but Feer's agents failed to stop me."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

_That is why Feer had sent her here?_

_Chayn had stolen from the citadel; he had stolen her medical records, her genetic material?_

Why?

What changes did he mean?

"I…I don't understand?" she said.

For the first time, Chayn radiated amusement.

"Poor deluded child," he said, "Feer never told you, did he?"

The man chuckled.

"Well…I supposed he wished you to remain focused on your work, not to be distracted by your condition."

Keera's temper flared.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"

The man radiated only arrogance and amusement.

"Haven't you guessed?" he laughed, "Tell me have you not noticed the voices in your head, the hallucinations? The mood swings? I'm sure your slaves have, they likely have been avoiding you."

A chill went down her spine.

Voices?

Hallucinations?

"You can see the effects on your face, your body resisting dark side necrosis, giving you back your healthy glow. Sadly, it is not healthy at all, not healthy at all."

Chayn laughed.

"I didn't need to kill you; all I had to do was wait! You're _**dying**_ you stupid little shutta! My scientists have **confirmed** it. Terrog **murdered** you when you faced his agent on Dromund Kaas. You have a year left, maybe less…"

Keera did not move she…she couldn't speak!

_No, it…it could not be true, the man was lying!_

_He had to be!_

_Dying._

_No!_

She could not be!

She was going to be **Empress!**

_She had seen it!_

_She…she could not be dying!_

"Terrog was cruel, child," Chayn said, "I'm sure you've felt your powers growing these past few months, maybe you even thought you had achieved a greater understanding of the Force, but you have not!"

He drew his lightsaber, ignited the blade.

"I thought I could bring Nass back, give her small piece of Terrog gave you, a piece that did not include a death sentence, the result is what you see before you, a monstrous thing unworthy of being Sith, but it is mine, and soon it will be…"

Keera had only partially heard him, she…she reached out with the Force, trying to find the lie in what Chayn was saying.

He…he had to be lying.

She could not die!

She was a Dark Lord of the Sith!

She was death!

She was POWER!"

She was DEATH!

She…she was…

No!

No.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Keera screamed, rage and shock morphing into raw unlimited power!

Dying.

No!

The air exploded raw blinding fury.

The dark side given physical form and it raged like a hurricane.

Chayn tried to shield himself, he used the Force…

Her power tore through his shields like they weren't even there!

Her rage burned him, like the blast of a nuclear explosion!

The Lord Inquisitor vanished, his flesh blackened and blown away with the pure strength of Keera's rage.

Bones flew through the air, all that remained of the Sith that Nass had once called the Lord Inquisitor.

The source of the explosion did not care!

Two voices raged as one in that moment.

Both Keera and Darth Avaryss the room blew apart around her the wall behind where Chayn stood vanished blasted out by her fury!

Only the pod containing the Nass-thing remained, and that was because it had been anchored to the floor.

The destruction that was unleashed was beyond powerful, it was extraordinary!

Keera should have been impressed but she was not.

In that moment nothing mattered, only the words she had heard.

Dying she thought.

I'm dying!

No time, she thought.

No time.

She took a shuddering breath.

No.

Time.


	47. Borrowed Time

**Chapter 47: Borrowed Time**

"**WHERE IS IT?!"**

Keera was almost unaware of the physical world, the sights and sounds of the ruined base seemed distant, sounds of another world.

All her will, all her attention was focused inward, looking…searching. The dark side flared as she turned her power on herself, scanning, seeking.

"WHERE IS IT?!"

"_**WHERE?!"**_

_It wasn't true_, she thought, _it can't be true! I've a destiny! I…can…cannot…be…"_

She could barely think the words.

_I __**can't **__be dying!_

She could feel the cells of her body, moving and multiplying, skin cells flaked off, hair grew, and a single bead of sweat ran down her back.

_No_, she thought.

_I will not give into this._

She snarled silently.

_I will find what that fool Chayn was talking about, I will find what is hurting me, __**killing**__ me._

She nodded grimly.

_I will __**use **__the Force! I will find it and I will __**DESTROY**__ it!_

_I will not die._

_I will be killed before I accept that I will die!_

As she searched she became distantly aware of her followers, they had heard the explosion, the destruction she had wrought.

They were coming now; Kalo Nord, Commander Holli, HK Sigma 3, and Dym.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Dym!

If her apprentice knew about her weakened state, he would strike, either that, or he would sit back and wait, wait for…whatever it was that was inside her to weaken her, to make her…end.

No, she thought.

NOOOO!

I WILL NOT GO OUT LIKE THAT!

I WILL KILL THEM ALL BEFORE THEY CAN TAKE AWAY WHAT IS MINE!

Xen and Necris would also need to go. It would be a fight to be sure. Xen was a fierce fighter, but Keera did not fear her blade. Necris was…different, she seemed to understand death, and what it meant…

Keera wondered if Necris would sense the change within her, did she know that master's time was limited.

If she did, perhaps that is why she was waiting; perhaps she intended to feed on Keera like she had fed on so many other corpses.

The thought made the dark lord shiver.

A Sith knew no fear, but in that moment…she was…concerned, and in spite of it all, in spite of her great power, she could not find what she was seeking. She sensed no wrongness within her.

Yet, she had sensed it! Chayn had not been lying! He had been so certain!

WHERE WAS IT?!

She had no idea what she was looking for?!

She did not understand, and that enraged her!

The dark side continued to burn brighter within her. It touch was so cold it was almost hot! It felt like her powers were eating her alive.

I can't die; she thought barely holding back a sob.

I'm not ready!

She was almost hyperventilating; she was on the verge of having a panic attack!

It was in that moment that she felt something cold seize her, she could not move, she could not breathe.

A presence filled her mind, one she had thought gone.

"Stop your sniveling, Keera, everything will be well."

The voice was cold and familiar, its harsh tones, that old familiar Dromund Kaas accent.

"Avy?" she murmured.

"You were gone!"

"I was…lost for a time," Avaryss said inside her mind. Keera could almost see her other half, hunched over, the glowing red eyes and the heavy breathing mask on her jaw.

Those red eyes narrowed.

"I'm back now," she said to Keera.

"You are in no shape to be in control, let me out."

"I wanna' drive."

Keera tried to resist, but felt herself being pushed back.

No, she thought, NOOO!

It is my body now!

I want it. If I'm living on borrowed time, I need it.

I don't want to die stuck in the back of my own head!

Avaryss sighed; the sound came out strange through the breathing mask.

"We've been dead once before, remember? We died on Korriban, we were tortured to death."

Avy's dark eyes twinkled with evil mischief.

"Do not give up, Keera. We are not Jedi after all. We do not accept the end of life like it is something beyond our control. We do not simply fall away, and embrace the end when it comes."

"I want to live," Keera whimpered to her other self, "I want to see all my plans come to fruition."

"Yes, you have been very busy," Avy acknowledged, "I'm impressed with how quickly you have accepted the dark side, let go of the light that held you on this plane in the first place. Your strategy on Oridanna has been quite clever. Everything seems to be falling into place."

"Oridanna is a distraction," Keera thought, "Marr doesn't get it, neither does Feer, or Sadi, they don't see what I've started."

"But I do," Avy said with a cold smile, "I've been paying close attention, Taya, Adaz, you are moving the pieces around the board most expertly, Yet you still manage to hide the endgame, from me, why? What are you afraid of?

Keera's eyes narrowed.

She was scared of nothing.

The plan that she had set in motion had always been there, Avy had dreamed up the initial ideas, but it was she that had taken the next step, after her trip to Nar Shadda, and her embrace of her new philosophy. Keera had been moving ever since, silently, hiding her movements using pawns, people that not even Darth Marr knew about. Taya's trip to Ziost was part of it. Her agent was doing more than simply recruiting new allies; she was advancing her friend and lord's agenda.

Keera had also spoken with Overseer Adaz recently. He was most impressed with her progress, how far she had come in such a short time. He saw her as the rightful heir to his master, Darth Hecaetus, and would do anything to help her cause. Her first teacher agreed with what she was doing, offered to help in any way he could.

The rebellion on Oridanna would end, and with it Darth Feer's life. Once her master was gone, the real work would begin, the only work that mattered.

Fenn would need to be told, she realized, if her time was as short as she now feared, he would need to be brought into the fold now, saved from what was to come.

She had allowed her respect of her enemies to cloud her judgment, her love of Fenn had clouded her judgment, but now, the time had come for that to end.

She had come to respect Jas Dar Bynn and Vey Ilo; they thought her some bridge between the light and the dark, a means to forge a peace between the Empire and the Republic.

They were wrong.

She HATED Jas Dar Bynn; he had stopped Fenn from embracing the darkness, taught him to resist it.

He would pay for that, everything and everyone the Jedi Master loved would answer for what he had done.

He had made her weak, and she HATED him for that.

He would break, and she would be there to end what was left when he did.

There was only one answer now, the true answer.

Fenn Shadowstone, the man she was bound to would be hers. He would have no choice.

Once her plan was finished, every single Jedi in the Republic would be dead! She would kill them all, from the highest master, to the lowest Jedi youngling.

She had planned to move slowly, get all her pieces into position before she struck, but…if what Chayn said was true, she was out of time.

She would need to move sooner rather than later.

She would need to end the rebellion on Oridanna now!

If this was the end, all that was left was revenge!

She would take it, how could she not.

She was Sith.

Revenge was part of who she was.

IOI

"My lord? Are you alright?"

Holli's words brought her back into the now, back into the world of flesh.

Avaryss shook her head; she had been gone too long. She could still feel Keera watching, but for now her other self was too preoccupied to hold onto the controls.

The dark lord took a deep breath.

She was back.

"I'm here, Holli," she said looking up at the engineer.

She looked around the chamber; saw the damage that Keera had done in her fit of rage.

She smiled.

"It seems that I was little naughty."

Kalo Nord looked out the shattered wall and shook his head.

"Remind me to never make you mad," he said with a shrug.

Dym walked past her, his eyes finding the growing tank with the Nass-thing, inside.

The Muun's flat face wrinkled in disgust.

"What is this thing?" he asked, "Another one of those monsters?"

Avaryss regained her feet.

"It is a curiosity," she informed her apprentice, "Something that Chayn valued a great deal."

Her smile turned shark-like.

"And now…it's mine."

HK took up a defensive position near his master while Holli plugged her data pad into the control board on the tank. The Commander was trying to access the tank itself, find out what it was capable of.

Avy applauded her ingenuity; she did not even have to give the changeling an order.

Yet, another reason that Avaryss had come to depend so much on Lujayne Holli.

The woman was…a treasure.

It was at that moment that a section of the wall to their right opened with a loud hiss. Both Avaryss and her apprentice drew their weapons, preparing to meet whatever challenge rose to face them now.

They need not have worried.

What emerged was not a threat.

The alien that stepped into the chamber did not seem to notice them; it didn't even look up from the data pad it was reading. A small recorder droid buzzed around its head, beeping softly as it continued to take readings, awaiting its master's order.

Clad in a grey uniform and lab coat, the alien was a humanoid and clearly female. It might have passed for a human if not for its blue black hair and blue skin. The eyes that never left the data pad glowed a bright red, the alien muttered under her breath while she entered commands on her pad.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed, she thought they had dealt with all of Chayn's scientists.

It seems that they had missed one.

The alien did not approach them, didn't even acknowledge them, it made its way to the hole in the wall that Keera had made, pausing only briefly to inspect the burnt bones that had once been Inquisitor Chayn.

The scientist pulled a device from the pocket of her lab coat, took a reading from Chayn's burned skull, and entered them into her pad.

Avaryss did not know what to make of it.

The woman didn't even seem to notice that they were there?

She cleared her throat loudly.

"Excuse me," she called out.

"One moment, please," the alien said, holding up the scanning device to the hole in the wall, again making notes on her pad.

"An extraordinary display of power," she murmured, she gestured for her recorder droid to approach.

"Note to self," she told it, "Check the readings here against test subject 315. I will need to test to see if there is any correlation."

"At once doctor," the droid said, "Note to self: acknowledged."

Avaryss' brow furrowed.

As a Dark Lord of the Sith; she was not used to being ignored.

The scientist was either very brave or very foolish.

Dym sneered, he clearly though the latter over the former.

"You should pay attention "Doctor," he called out, "Most people are smart enough not to ignore their murderer."

"What," the blue skinned woman said, finally looking up from her pad.

"Forgive me, my lord, but I didn't catch that."

She shook her head.

"So much to do, and so little time," she muttered.

"Time is of the essence," Avaryss said, "In that we are in agreement…Miss?"

That got the alien's attention, those glowing red eyes focused on Avaryss.

"Doctor actually," she clarified, "I would tell you my full name, but it would likely prove too difficult for your human vocal cords to pronounce."

She gave the Sith a polite smile.

"You may call me, Vrann, Dr. Vrann, of the Chiss."

Vrann looked down at her pad again, taking more notes.

"You must be Avaryss;" she said dismissively, "Inquisitor Chayn knew you would come. He promised me a chance to dissect your brain when you were slain. I guess that isn't going to happen now."

"Threat," HK said flatly, "threaten my master again, Doctor, and you will be the one that this unit dissects."

The droid made a sound that might have been a laugh.

"It would be most fun."

If the alien…this Chiss was afraid she did not show it. She hurried over to the growth pod; Holli actually had to rush to get out of the way.

Vrann entered several commands, the pod disengaged from the floor.

"This facility has been compromised," she said flatly, "I will need to move this pod to more secure location; at least until the creature's birth cycle is complete."

She looked up at Avaryss.

"I trust you have a ship on the way."

Avaryss almost laughed.

Who did this woman think she was?

Kalo smirked and removed his glasses.

"How much would pay for this one's head, my lord," he asked.

"Her tongue might be more valued," Dym said with an evil smirk, "she won't be having a use for it where she is about to go."

Again it seemed that Vrann did not understand that she was being threatened.

She sighed and looked up at Avaryss.

"We should speak, my lord, privately."

The Chiss held up her scanner, its light played over Avaryss's fore head.

Again the alien entered more notes.

Those strange red glowing eyes settled the dark lord.

"There are things that you need to hear, trust me, as a doctor, I advise that you listen closely."

Avaryss frowned.

She got the woman's meaning, and in truth, she respected her discretion.

She was willing to hear what she had to say, if only to put her mind at ease.

"Holli send a signal to Rink," she ordered, "We will be leaving soon."

She turned to her droid.

"HK, you will protect this growth pod, no one comes near it without my order."

"As you say, Master."

She turned to Kalo and Dym.

"Make sure that the facility is empty," she ordered, "Deal with any guards or technicians that remain. Show no mercy."

Dym grinned at the last part of that.

"Mercy isn't really my specialty."

Kalo shrugged.

"Fine," he said, "More credits in my account.

The two left to scour the base for survivors.

Avaryss turned to Doctor Vrann.

"I'm in your hands, doctor," she said.

"Let us talk business."

"This way, my lord," the Chiss said, gesturing her forward.

"There is something you need to see."

IOI

A few moments later, the dark lord found herself in the scientist's private lab, the Chiss placed a large metal band on her forehead; it beeped as the doctor entered a series of commands.

Avaryss frowned.

She had only one question for the scientist, only one question really mattered now.

"Chayn said that I was dying, that I have less than a year to live."

She swallowed hard.

"Is it true?"

The Chiss nodded.

"It is true, my lord, "I've gone over your medical files, all those that were not redacted, without treatment you will be dead within the year, dead or…worse."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"What could be worse than death?" she asked.

"This," the woman said, entering a command on her data pad.

The room filled with holograms, holograms of people in various states of madness. Some cowered in balls on the floor, others screamed at people that weren't there, there were even a few that stood over the bodies of others, doing…horrible things to what remained of their victims.

Avaryss cringed.

The sight was enough to make even a Sith uneasy.

"You are a very sick young woman, my lord," Vrann informed her.

"I do not envy your condition."

"And what exactly is my condition, doctor, speak plainly."

"As you wish," the Chiss said turning off the holograms, a new one appeared before them, a series of simple organisms floating in a fluid environment.

A glowing circle centered over one of the organisms.

Doctor Vrann began her briefing.

"Here is your murderer, my lord, an impressive little creature to be sure. It is a true wonder of the microscopic world."

"But what is it," Avy demanded, "How did I contract it."

"Inquisitor Chayn did not give me all the details, but I will share with you what I've discovered.

"The Chiss brought up another holo file. Avaryss recognized the date on it immediately.

"This is a medical file from the citadel on Dromund Kaas," she said, "The date, I know it. This was after I was injected with the vaccine to the Fydon virus."

The Chiss chuckled at that.

"A vaccine?" she said, "I think not, my lord, the virus that you were injected with did make you immune to the Fydon virus, but it was not the same as what was recovered and given to the citizens of the Empire."

"Not a vaccine," Avaryss said, "then what was the purpose? Why inject me at all?"

"That is a most interesting question, my lord, one that I'm still trying to answer."

The Doctor changed the hologram again, this time, it showed what looked like a DNA strand; Avaryss remembered seeing one from her school days on Oridanna.

"This virus was engineered; there is no doubt of that. It is too perfect to have been created by anything in nature.

The holo changed again, showing the virus attacking healthy cells.

"It is a subtle little killer, I will give it that. It saturates the bloodstream; altering the cells there before making the jump to the brain, from there it really gets to work. It begins altering the way the body works. It turns off some genes, activates others.

She smiled at Avaryss.

"It looks like a vaccine in the early stages, but that was just to lull you into a false sense of security. It has a very specific function that I don't really understand. The man who created it was either a genius, or a total maniac."

Avaryss remembered well her final encounter with Terrog, she had no doubt that this…whatever it was, was his doing; something he had made himself.

He murdered me, and I didn't even know it, she thought morosely.

She found herself thinking about what had happened to him, the fate she had condemned him too.

At that moment, it did not seem appropriate, she snarled in anger.

She should have come up with something far worse.

"The virus boosts healing and the body's natural regeneration. You've seen the effects of this already, my lord. It actually holds the effects of dark side necrosis at bay. Hence your…more healthy pallor."

Avaryss touched her face, she had assumed the change was the result of Keera's presence, her other half pulling her towards the light.

She had been wrong.

"Of course, regeneration is not the only thing this virus causes, it also attacks the brain causing chemical imbalances, damaging whole areas of mind, to what end I'm not sure. It seems counter to what it does to the body, boosts healing, yet at the same time harming the brain itself. It is most curious, and a mystery I've yet to solve."

Avaryss frowned.

It wasn't a mystery to her. She knew Darth Terrog.

She now knew why this had happened to her.

"Could this virus be used to aid someone in recovering from cybernetic enhancement," she asked the Doctor, "Say if someone was to cut away sections of the brain and replace them with droid components."

Vrann considered that.

"It is…possible my lord, the boost in regeneration would make recovery far quicker, and if the parts of the brain that are shutting down were meant to be replaced, the changes would make such surgery far easier, the brain would be more open to accept an implant if that part of the mind was already failing."

Avaryss pursed her lips, her metal hand curled into a fist, the servos groaned from how tightly she held her fist.

It seems that Terrog had not been willing to take no for an answer, she realized, He was sure that she would join him that he had begun prepping her body to be changed even before she agreed to serve him.

Unfortunately, he had died by her hands, and the virus continued without his interference.

What that meant for her, she could only guess.

"It is going to kill me then," she said, "This virus."

"The changes will continue, my lord, they cannot be stopped. If unchecked, within a year, you will start to experience seizures, they will keep getting worse until one day you slip into a coma, and…"

Avaryss nodded.

She got the picture.

"In the meantime, your mental state will deteriorate. You will experience multiple symptoms as your brain continues to shut down. You will suffer from hallucinations, hear voices, have violent mood swings, and that is just in the early stages. You will continue to grow more unstable with each passing day, manifesting in any one of several mental issues as you move towards a psychotic break.

"Mental issues," Avaryss said coldly, "Such as developing a split personality?"

The Chiss shrugged.

"It is possible my lord, depending on how fast the virus spreads."

The dark lord's eyes narrowed.

She had assumed her issues with Keera were the result of the Force, her former self struggling for power.

Again, it appears she was mistaken.

Keera wasn't real, she never had been.

Keera's presence was a result of Terrog's tampering.

Her war with her former self was sham!

"And yet, here I am," Keera whispered in the back of her mind.

"I'm here, and will not go away so easily."

Avaryss sighed.

So much of what she had come to believe was a lie.

She felt…disjointed, unsure of what was real and what wasn't.

It was not a pleasant experience.

"You said something about a treatment?"

"I did, my lord.'

"Will it work?" Keera asked, "Could it keep me alive?"

"It will slow the progress; protect the parts of your brain that are still functioning."

"And it will give me time?"

"Yes."

"How much?"

Again, Vrann shrugged.

"Hard to say," The doctor replied, "As I said, this sickness was engineered to be very resilient and adaptable. If I come at it too hard, it will adapt and the serum that I developed will not work, if I come at it too gently, it will overwhelm you, and the serum will be too late to help."

Avaryss glared down at her, putting the full wait of the dark side into her voice.

"How long…doctor?"

"An extra year, maybe…two if you are lucky."

Both Avaryss and Keera considered that.

Two years, maybe three?

It was not much time in the galactic scale of things, but…

…it did offer her time to see some of her plans to completion.

Vrann might surprise her, the Chiss might be able to develop a cure, but it would not undo the damage that had already been done.

Avaryss looked down at her hands.

Damn this body, she thought, it has suffered so much in the last five years.

Bad eyes, bad ears, a missing left arm, and now this, it was enough to make her want to scream.

Of course, things were not all bad, not if Vrann could give her the time she needed.

Avaryss smiled.

The dark side offered many abilities, _**unnatural**_ abilities.

A Jedi would accept this fate; allow themselves to become one with the Force. Avaryss had other options.

She had spent the first two years of her apprenticeship studying the restoration of life, essence transfer, and the placing a spirit within a new shell, a better shell.

She had intended that as means to help Fehl, to bring her lover back, but Terrog had ruined that too.

Now it seems that that research had not been wasted.

I could do it, she thought, I can do it!

She would need a new body, a superior one, strong in the Force, and attractive, something that Fenn would like.

The thought was not entirely unpleasant.

The spell would be…difficult, of course, it required much, sacrifices, and more power than she could manage at that moment.

Life could be purchased, but death was the coin that was needed to pay for it.

I can do it, she thought, I know the rituals, it is simply the materials that I lack.

Those materials would not be hard to come by.

She turned to the Chiss; she needed the time that the woman had to offer.

She would demand it.

"Chayn is dead," she said flatly, "You serve me now. You will find a way to extend my life, cure me if you can, and in exchange I will give you all you need with almost unlimited resources."

Keera came to the forefront again. She flashed her most winning smile.

"Do we have a deal?

Dr. Vrann smiled.

It sounded like she was interested in what the Sith Lord was offering.

The Chiss turned away from her, she accessed a small safe in the corner of the lab, the door unlocking with her retinal scan.

She produced a rack containing six small vials; each contained some glowing green substance.

Vrann placed one into an injection gun.

Avaryss started to back up.

"Don't even think about it," she growled.

Vrann gave her a motherly look.

"This serum will help you, my lord. It will help stabilize your condition, and it will help with the chemical imbalance in your brain."

"Help, but not cure," Avaryss said.

"Yes, but It does offer time, which is valuable to you, I think."

The doctor held up the gun.

"What do you have to lose, my lord."

Keera sighed.

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

What did they have to lose?

Not much.

She was living on borrowed time now.

She had to squeeze as much as she could out of it.

She needed to finish her work on Oridanna, but even that might be a blessing in disguise.

A cruel smile came to her lips.

Her people, the free citizens of Oridanna were weak, and easily controlled.

It would take many lives to power the ritual that she had in mind, but in the end, she would be free, no longer bound by the shackles of this dying frame.

_Through Victory, my chains are broken._

_The Force shall free me!_

She would end the rebellion. She would kill both Tahl Moritza and Darth Feer. She would use her own people to restore her, to give her a second chance at life, a life more glorious than she had ever thought possible.

Perhaps my new body is even now on Oridanna? Maybe that young lady is already waiting, waiting to become the new Avaryss.

She laughed.

Actually, she had a better idea; it would take a bit of manipulation on her part, but…

It was possible.

She intended to hurt Jas Dar Bynn, to destroy him for daring to make her respect him. He had several people in his life that would be perfect candidates for what she had in mind.

Oh, she thought with a shiver.

This is going to be fun!

Delicious!

She smiled at Vrann, smiled and offered the doctor her neck.

"I'm ready for my first injection, doctor."

The Chiss nodded.

"As you command, my lord; I shall endeavor to aid you as much as I can in this fight. I will make the search for a cure a priority."

"See that you do," Avaryss said, "and in the meantime, I have something else that might interest you. Tell me doctor; are you familiar with poisons, toxicology?"

"I've studied several substances, yes," the Chiss admitted.

"Why?"

Keera came back her smile turned predatory.

"Tell me doctor, have you ever heard project Death Knell?"

The Chiss shook her head no.

"It sounds…_ambitious_, my lord."

"Oh it is," Keera said, "And necessary. The Republic will have need of it soon, it, like me, is living borrowed time."

"Then we had best hurry," Doctor Vrann said.

"Yes," the dark lord agreed.

"We must."

**A/N: Hope you are all enjoying **_**Dark Reflection**_**, and in case any of you are wondering, I'm planning **_**two**_** more Avaryss adventures right now. These two stories will conclude my little Dark Lord's adventure in the Star Wars universe, and see how her path to power ends. If any of you are reading Rogue Jedi as well, some of the characters from that will be showing up in my fourth Avaryss story. It won't be necessary to read it, but it will give you some perspective.**

**Until next time, Dear Readers**

**DG**


	48. Lies and Shadows

**Chapter 48: Lies and Shadows**

"Inquisitor Chayn is dead, my lord. His base reduced to rubble."

Avaryss smiled up at the hologram of Darth Feer.

"Our plans…are secure."

Once again she was in her quarters aboard her Fury. They were hyperspace currently on their way back to Oridanna. She was not surprised that Feer had contacted her. Rink had sent a transmission to Dromund Kaas before they had made the jump away from Tatooine.

Her master smiled, his white teeth and golden Sith eyes the only thing visible beneath his crimson colored cowl.

_New robes_, Avaryss recognized; _robes fit for a Dark Lord…_

…_or perhaps…an Emperor._

"I'm most pleased, my child," he said proudly, "Again you have restored security and order to our Empire."

He laughed coldly.

"Is there nothing that you cannot accomplish?"

She bowed her head, respectfully, but inside, she was anything but…

She was seething, and hungry for blood!

Once she would have basked in her master's praise, felt a sense of contentment and an eagerness to serve.

Now…she felt only hatred, and the desire to coat her hands in wet crimson gloves.

_All he has ever done is lie to us, use us. We put him on the Dark Council with our actions, our blood and our flesh, and how does he reward our service? He lies to us, hides the truth from us._

Avy could see Keera in her mind's eye, her purple eyes blazing with hate and homicidal desire.

"_He never intended to share the throne with you Avy. He knows what is happening to you. He knew that we would not survive, and didn't even try to help you, help us."_

"_I know, Keera. I believe you are right, but now is not the time to seek vengeance. For now…we must wait, and prepare for the next stage of the game."_

A week ago she might have flown into a rage and told Feer that she knew everything! She would not have been able to control it. Now, though, thanks to Dr. Vrann's serum, she felt more in control than she had had in months. She once again had tighter reins over her emotions.

She had been hesitant, at first, to let the alien inject her with anything, but the Force revealed no malice in the Chiss, only curiosity, a scientist's interest to see how her serum worked on one who had been exposed years ago to the very virus she was studying.

The serum would help, but as the Chiss reminded her, it was not a cure. Eventually the violent mood swings would return. Her self-control would falter. She would continue to get worse and worse as time went on. One day, her mind would no longer be able to take it, she would either have a complete mental breakdown, or a fatal seizure, and that would be the end.

She looked up at Feer, her hate barely restrained, like a fusion reactor on the verge of melting down.

_But you already knew that, didn't you, my master? Father?_

_If what she had learned on Tatooine was true, Feer had known…everything._

She had gone through the files that Chayn had stolen. The bulk of them had been her medical records. They included records that had gone back years; going back to when she had first been discovered on Oridanna, mental and physical tests that had been conducted by the Imperial mission. Most of the files had been redacted, sealed under an edict from a Dark Council member, Lord Feer's eyes only.

He knew, she thought angrily.

He-knew-everything.

He _**lied**_ to me, and has been trying to distracting me from the truth?

_Was __**that **__his design since he found out? Was he simply buying time; was he waiting for me to sicken so much that he would not have to worry about me challenging him?_

It was a painful realization to be sure.

_I thought that he thought of me as his own, his daughter? How could he do this to someone he claims to respect?_

_Because he is Sith_, the darkness seemed to whisper within her.

_Why else would he do what he has done?_

She continued to smile, hiding her hatred behind her grin.

Oh how she _**hated**_ this man.

Oh how she _**craved**_ his end.

"It is my will and privilege to serve you, my master," she lied to the hologram, "Together we shall redraw the map, and make the Empire into the one true dominant power in this galaxy."

"Well said, daughter," he said nodding, pleasure radiating off him like the heat from a star.

"I'm so glad you approve…Father."

"Everything is proceeding exactly as I have foreseen, my dear. Revan continues to occupy Marr and the rest of the Dark Council, giving me more and more room to maneuver. Everyday more and more of my key people find there ways into places that we will need them in when the final battle begins."

"And what of Revan himself, my lord?" she asked, "I'm surprised he has not made any attempt to seize the Sith throne for himself. Has he simply been distracted, or are his goals more intricate than we realized."

Feer sneered at her comment.

"Revan seems more interest in revenge than seeking to rule. Much of his anger remains directed at our late Emperor and his more loyal followers. Not all of them perished with their master, and now they seem intent on causing trouble, and disrupting our war effort."

Her master shook his head.

"It is most annoying."

"And what of Chayn," she asked, "Was he one of Revan's followers? It seems insane that he would risk your anger when your power has grown so strong?"

"Chayn's motivations do not concern me," he responded, "I suspect you now know more about his operations then I do. Tell me, what was he up to on that lifeless rock? Why bother to steal files from the Citadel? Why did he think it necessary to try and steal from me?"

She considered how best to proceed.

She could not afford to tell him everything, nor could she just blurt out that the files he had stolen had been almost entirely related to her.

She decided to stall, and try a bit of misdirection.

"Chayn had discovered a piece Rakatan technology," she informed her master, "It was some form of…cellular regeneration device. It appears that he was using it to regain the daughter he lost at our hands. He was quite literally trying to create a new version of his daughter, Nass."

Feer's expression turned hungry.

"Did he succeed?"

"The things that he created were monsters, my lord, misshapen creatures with great strength but virtually no intelligence."

She smiled wickedly.

"I enjoyed killing them; it had been far too long since I'd gotten to relive my victory over his fool daughter."

"And what of the device, were you able to recover it?"

"Sadly, no, Chayn's scientists burned it out trying to perfect his new daughter, I recovered some technical schematics, but as with most other Rakata tech, we simply do not have knowledge to recreate what they built."

"Damn," Feer growled, "Rakatan technology is always valuable, we could have used such a device, I'm sure of it."

"Yes, master," Avaryss said nodding.

"We could have."

IOI

Both Avaryss and Keera had been angry when Vrann showed them the destroyed regeneration cradle, both of them knew what the device could have offered.

Such a waste, she had thought.

We could have done so much with this.

Yes, Avaryss had agreed, they could have.

They might even have been able to create a new body with it, something superior to what Sith Alchemy would have yielded alone.

Oh well, the easy path is not always the best.

Speaking of Alchemy, Avaryss knew that she would need to contact her followers, the ones that had once served her late lover Fehl. Before his return and betrayal, she had had them working on gathering components for the essence transfer spell she had been planning; the one that should have given her Fehl back.

Now, it would serve a new purpose, it would be used to ensure her survival should Dr. Vrann fail in coming up with a cure for Terrog's disease.

Again the Force shows that nothing happens on accident, Avaryss thought.

Her obsession and work on creating a stable means of resurrection had not been a waste of time.

She would now have the ability to save herself if it came to that. Of course, it would not be as easy as all that.

Even when she found a candidate to serve as her new body, the spell itself was quite complex. It required a sacrifice of a great many lives, and a willing ally to carry out the final rites. The former was problematic, the latter even harder to come by.

_Who could she trust to carry out the spell to the letter, who would not see her weakened state as an opportunity to usurp her throne?_

One of her apprentices would have been ideal, but she knew their ambitions. The risk of betrayal was just too great. Necris, with her understanding of necromancy likely could handle the rite, but she also harbored a hatred for her master, blamed her for forcing her down the dark path. Dym was overly ambitious, and not as skilled in Sith sorcery, she had no guarantee that he would not mess up the spell, either on accident or on purpose.

No, the Muun was out.

Xen or Taya might serve, both felt they owed Avaryss their futures, they might be loyal enough to be trusted, but…the lure of power was hard to resist. During the final rite, Avaryss would be simply energy, a Force spirit bound to this world only by Sith magic.

It would tempting not to destroy someone in such a state, knowing that you would inherit all that they possessed. Not to mention the fact that when it came to body candidates, both Xen and Taya would be perfect. Beautiful and strong in the Force, Avaryss was not above the idea of taking either of their forms for their own.

Xen would serve, but at the same, she did not like the idea of taking a body that her brother had soiled, it cheapened Xen's value.

The thought of taking a body that her brother had…ick!

Taya would have been nice, plus, she would inherit her god daughter Aya. Avaryss loved the little girl. How would she react when she realized that her mom and her Aunt Avy was now the same woman?

It was something to consider. She still had time, provided that Vrann's serum worked the way it was supposed to.

She should have time.

The spell should work; she had trust in its creator. She had first discovered it in the writings of the ancient Sith Lord Naga Sadow. He had sought a means of self-resurrection during his exile on Yavin 4. The work had never been completed; however, perhaps Sadow had grown too wizened to finish it, his writings ended with him putting himself into a stasis crystal, a means of preserving his essence until another dark lord could be found to finish the spell and bring him back, which, of course, had never happened.

Sadow had trusted the wrong Sith, the dark side acolyte Freedon Nadd. Nadd had taken Sadow's work and left him to rot, never to know the wonder of resurrection.

She did not intend to make the same mistake; she needed to find a way to ensure her survival, either by hook or by crook.

She needed to find a way to leverage whatever Sith she chose to carry out the ritual.

I cannot die, she thought.

I must survive.

IOI

Keera took over as Avaryss obsessed over the future, she was unsure what a new body meant for her, but knew it was necessary to have one.

But for now, they needed to put Feer at ease.

He could not know what they were planning.

"So," Darth Feer said, "None of Chayn's followers escaped?"

"None, my lord," Keera assured him, "We were quite thorough in our cleansing of the facility, and any we might have missed were killed when Holli triggered the bases self-destruct."

"Good," he said, "And what of the bounty hunter, Kalo Nord? Did he prove to be worth his reputation?"

"I was most impressed with Kalo," Keera admitted, not mentioning the physical attraction she had felt for the fierce young warrior.

"We should definitely consider hiring him again in the future."

"So you saw no reason to silence him?"

"None, profit is his only motivation, and he was paid well for both the violence and his discretion. He knows better than to speak out of turn."

"Then all is as it should be," Feer said, "Chayn has been silenced, and none in the Empire are aware of what has happened."

Keera winced.

_Speaking of that…_

"I fear that is not entirely accurate, my lord."

"What," Feer said, his eyes turning cold.

"What do you mean?"

Keera fidgeted.

"We were not the only ones hunting Chayn. The Emperor's Wrath showed up. The base destroyed by then, but…"

"What happened," her master demanded.

"Tell me everything."

"As you say, master," Keera said.

"As you say."

IOI

They had just been on their way out of the facility when a second Fury class interceptor had roared by overhead. Rink had just touched down with their vessel, and Kalo had summoned his ship using a droid slaved beckon-call.

Avaryss had watched as the other ship whirled around expertly and touched down before the ruined facility. Rink emerged from their ship, brandishing a blaster, even as Avaryss' hand went to her lightsaber.

She had feared that this was some type of reinforcement for Chayn, one that had arrived far too late, but could still be dangerous, if the Sith aboard remained loyal to their master.

As it turned out, that was not the case at all; the ones aboard this Fury served the Empire, first and foremost.

That made them allies…of a sort.

The boarding ramp of the second ship lowered, and three females emerged from within. They were led by a Sith pureblood, her skin the deep crimson of one deep in the power of the Force, her golden eyes bright and alert.

Avaryss recognized her immediately, from holos she had seen.

This one had served Darth Baras once, and had killed him for his betrayal. She had had another name once, but now…she was simply the Emperor's Wrath, the Empire's arm of vengeance.

"In the name of the Dark Council," the pureblood had called out, "I've come for the head of Inquisitor Chayn; oppose me and you shall die."

Avaryss approached her with a friendly chuckle.

"You are too late my friend," she replied, "Chayn is dead, as are his followers."

The young Dark Lord shrugged.

"I'm afraid you have come all this way for nothing."

The pure blood glared at her, but did not attack; she looked at one of her companions, a hooded human female in a most revealing leather top.

"Well," the Wrath asked her companion?

The other Sith smiled.

"She is telling the truth, my lord," the girl's voice was a lethal purr, and surprisingly familiar.

Avaryss reached out with the Force, the other woman reached back.

She smiled.

Well, what do you know?

"Jaesa? Yes?" she said, "I believe we met a few years ago, when I had some business on Alderaan."

The girl, Jaesa smiled back.

"I remember you, Lord Avaryss; you offered House Organa weapons in exchange for their aid."

Jaesa's eyes turned hungry.

"Some people might call such an act treasonous to the Empire."

"I did what was necessary to ensure the success of my mission, and the flaws built into those weapons will serve the empire when the time comes."

If Jaesa was convinced, she did not show it, her hand continued to drift to the double bladed lightsaber at her belt.

The pure blood stopped her with a raised hand.

"Not now Jaesa, Lord Avaryss is known to me, as is her commitment to the Empire."

"As you say," the girl said her voice more pouty now. Clearly she was not happy to be denied the chance to fulfil her homicidal tendencies.

Avaryss did not blame her, she could relate.

At least now, she did not have to fight the Emperor's Wrath, she had no desire to challenge the chosen blade of the master of them all.

The pure blood moved in closer, Avaryss cocked her head to listen.

"Darth Marr sends his regards, Lord Avaryss. The Cabal remains committed to the security of our empire."

"As do I," Avy replied.

"I'm pleased to see that you chose _**not**_ to follow our emperor into death, Wrath. We have need of your skill and loyalty in these troubled times."

"I live to serve our people," the pureblood said, "The Empire must continue."

"Agreed," Avaryss said.

Her people kept their distance while the Wrath and Jaesa entered the ruined base, not that they would find anything, the self-destruct had dealt with anything that might have been useful.

Only the pod containing the winged Nass-thing had survived, its systems now plugged into her Fury's power supply. Dr. Vrann seemed to believe that this creature might prove very useful to Avaryss and her plans; its cognitive processes far above the other beasts created by Chayn's experiments.

The dark lord was curious, how the creature would react when it was finally…awakened, the others seemed to have recognized her on some level, and sought her destruction.

She wondered how much of Nass would be in this creature, and if she could turn it to her advantage.

You will need Taya; the darkness whispered in her ear, she knew Nass far better than you do.

The idea appealed to her, and made her smile.

Yes.

It was a delicious idea.

Nass had always had a keen analytical mind, she had been the planner of their little group, and had been behind their successes during their brief stay at Butcher's Clearing. Had the girl not betrayed Avaryss, she might now hold a position of importance in Avaryss' house.

Well, now she had the chance to have Nass back, in one form or another, and with Taya at their side, their little group would be whole once again.

The trio of Butcher's Clearing would be together once more, loose upon the Empire.

Such a thought amused Avaryss.

It appealed to her darker sensibilities.

Kalo Nord did not wait for the Wrath to return, choosing to board his small assault ship, and return Mos Ila. He gave Avaryss the means to contact him, if she desired to use his service again in the future. She accepted his offer, and let the bounty hunter be on his way.

We will meet again, she realized, and perhaps next time…there would be no need to be so…"professional."

As they waited for the wrath, she spotted Rink chatting with another of the Wrath's party, a blue skinned Twi'lek girl, dressed in an old flight suit and leather vest.

Rink seemed enchanted by the girl, so much so that Avaryss could feel it radiating out though the Force. She did not interfere; Rink had suffered greatly over the loss of his first love, also a Twi'lek.

Perhaps the girl could help him forget his pain, and it might be nice to have an in with the Wrath's crew, just in case.

The pure blood and Jaesa returned a few moments later. The Wrath was satisfied that Chayn's treason had been dealt with, and was willing to accept Avaryss' involvement in that destruction, for the good of the cabal.

She looked up, noticing Rink and her Twi'lek talking, laughing.

The pure blood's eyes narrowed.

"Vette," she called out, "We are going."

"You all done, here, boss," she called back, "You don't think you should take a bit more time, you know, make sure that nothing got missed."

The Wrath's eyes narrowed.

"Do not make me put the slave collar back on, Vette. I have no desire to harm you, but…"

"Okay, fine, no need to get snippy, geez," the girl Vette moved away, shouting over her shoulder that it had been nice meeting him, referring to Rink of course.

He waved good bye to her, a sappy smile on his face.

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

Still, who was she to comment on another's relationship?

She had enough issues in her own relationships to be sure.

"Until next time, Lord Avaryss," The Wrath said with curt bow.

"Long live the Empire."

"Long live the Empire," Avaryss said returning the bow, "and may the Force serve you well."

The two had parted without violence, and the Dark Lord was once again free to return to her mission on Oridanna, and the destruction of the rebellion that had taken root there.

Of course, this brief stopover on Tatooine had changed her view on that mission, namely her realization of how much time she truly had left.

I no longer have time for games, Avaryss realized.

I need to move my plans forward now, while there is still time.

IOI

"So the Wrath found nothing," Feer asked.

"I saw her leave; it did not appear that either she or her apprentice had found anything among the wreckage."

"Good," Feer said, "Then you must return to Oridanna, my child, find the source of this rebellion and kill it."

"That is my one true desire, master. Tahl Moritza will be found, and destroyed."

"See to it quickly, my child, time is not on our side; as soon as Marr finishes with Revan, we will need to be ready to move, and swiftly."

"Acknowledged," Avaryss said, though she doubted that Marr would be so easily done with Revan, the man was a master strategist, and had cheated death at least twice.

His power was to be admired, if nothing else.

"Oridanna will be firmly in my grip soon, my lord."

"We shall see, apprentice," he said as his hologram faded.

"We shall see."

When Feer was gone, it was all that Avaryss could do to restrain Keera, to keep her from tearing up their quarters like some enraged animal.

"He must die," Keera snarled loudly, "I want him spitting up blood!"

"He will die, be patient," Avaryss said to her other self, he will…

She stopped midsentence.

She felt it, a disturbance in the Force!

They were not alone!

Her lightsaber was in hand and lit, its crimson blade turning the grey walls of her quarters the color of dried blood.

"I sense your presence," Avy shouted, "Show yourself!"

Her room was quiet; she could hear only the sound of her lightsaber, that and her heart beating. She…

She turned her blade raised.

One of the shadows near her bed, moved. It did not seem to be connected to anything. It seemed to slither through the air, like oil floating on the top of clear water.

It might have been mistaken for smoke, but there was no fire, and as it moved, it seemed to take shape, becoming more than just some abstract cloud in the air.

It move away from the wall, and stood before her letting itself be seen.

Avaryss gasped.

No.

It couldn't be?!

Two golden lights appeared in the shadow they flowed into the face, becoming eyes.

Eyes that now settled on the young Darth, and took her breath away.

"Keera," the shadow murmured, "My dear sweet little girl."

Keera emerged once again, drawn out by the shadow, Avaryss too shocked to stop her.

It might have been a shadow, but it had taken a very familiar shape.

It took the shape of Mya Lylos, the shape of Andur Lylos' wife.

"Mom," Keera said, tears in her eyes.

"Mommy?" It was not the voice of a Sith, but that of a scared little girl, a girl that missed her mother.

She could not help it, it…it had just come out.

The shadow gave her a careworn smile.

"I'm here, Blossom," she said, using her father's old nickname.

"It took a great deal of strength to appear, but now…I'm here."

Mya Lylos reached out for her daughter.

Keera stepped back.

"No," she said, "You're _**not**_ real. Dr. Vrann said I would see things until her serum took full effect."

The spirit seemed to giggle. She was not insulted by her daughter's accusation.

She seemed more amused than anything else.

"I am real, Keera. I've been watching you, waiting until the right moment to finally appear, to finally come and help you."

"It is time, dear. It is time."

Mya Lylos' fingers found her daughter's shoulder, her touch felt cold. It was dark side energy given form.

"It is **your** time, Keera.

The wraith rippled, it might have been shuddering with amusement.

"Your victory…is at hand."

The spirit's touch galvanized her; she felt a surge of power, a well of darkness open up inside her.

It was delicious!

Keera smiled.

"It is my time now," she said in a dreamy voice, the spirits touch as good as a full shipment of spice.

It was…intoxicating.

"Yes daughter," her mother said.

"_**Your**_ time."


	49. Specters

**Chapter 49: Specters**

The spirit filled her private quarters, and her senses, a sense of power and cold so strong that it almost took her breath away.

Keera looked into those strange golden lights; she could feel the presence of the spirit, strong and undeniable. If it was a hallucination caused by her sickness, then she must have been in worse shape than Dr. Vrann thought.

The wraith-like being began to lose solidity, it became more mist than substance, its body bending and twisting, only the head and the face remained constant, her mother continued to watch her, continued to swirl around her like a shadow given life and purpose.

Keera was still trying to accept what she was seeing.

She had heard of Force spirits before, of course. She had read about them during her training, and been told how dangerous they could be. Tremel, the now deceased overseer of Korriban academy, had warned her about spirits shortly after her first week of training had begun.

"Though it is rare, you may encounter spirits of fallen Sith within tombs," the overseer had said, "I would not advise provoking them. Your powers and weapons will have little or no effect on the fallen, but they will most definitely be able to hurt you."

She had never encountered a spirit herself, only felt the presence of one in the Forgotten tomb where she had first earned her status as a Sith.

Such spirits wield great power, Avaryss reminded her, which, of course, begs the question? Who is this really, Mother never showed any Force potential, she never wielded the power of the dark side.

_In short, what is this thing floating before us._

Keera didn't want to deny what she was seeing, but Avy did have a point.

If mother had been strong enough to find her way back as a Force spirit, why had she not used that power the night that she had been murdered.

Why did she only have such power now?

Keera considered those questions, but feared the answer.

If this was all an attempt at manipulation, the shadow would be most displeased with the results.

She would make sure that it answered for such an insult.

"Is it truly you, mother?" she asked, "Please…tell me."

"It is me," the shadow said in its disembodied voice, "In the spirit if not in the flesh."

Mya Lylos smiled.

"It is good that you are finally strong enough to see me, dear. I've been whispering to you for months, trying to draw you here, to help you make the choice…**the right** choice."

Keera thought back of all the times she had heard her mother's voice, how many times the old lullaby had found its way into her head.

It had been an interesting way to reach out, to be sure, but once again, the question of why and how remained.

How had mother managed such a feat?

Who had she been…really?

"You tell me that my time has come," she said to the spirit.

"It is almost here," her mother repeated, "The end of the rebellion on Oridanna draws near, and with it the time of your revenge approaches."

The spirit swirled around her, Keera shivered as she felt its icy touch.

"All that you desire will soon be yours, my child, and a destiny beyond your wildest dreams."

Avaryss took control; she would not let Keera be misled by a shadow and a daydream of returning family.

"We looked into your past, mother," she said coldly, "We tried to…anyway."

Avaryss smiled.

"It seems that you do not exist, or rather, someone went to a great deal of trouble to make everyone think that you did not exist. Your records are sealed, possibly by someone from the old Emperor's office; that is a lot of attention for a farmer's wife to hold in the places of power."

She could feel the yellow orbs that were the spirits eyes burning into her.

Avaryss was not afraid.

"Who were you, mother? What was the reason for all this secrecy? Who was Mya Moritza, and what is her connection to the rebellion that now rages back home?"

"So many questions," the spirit hissed, "Do you not trust me, child?"

"I'm a Sith," she replied, "Trust does not come easily for me."

If the spirit was insulted, she did not show it.

If anything it radiated amusement, as if it knew it could not be harmed by her.

It was probably right, but Avaryss was willing to play a bluff, see what she could learn.

"Mya Moritza was not so different than you, once," the shadow responded, "She was a daughter of Dromund Kaas, and born with the Force singing in her blood."

The spirit shifted, a sense of melancholy radiated out from it.

"Mya was not strong enough to embrace her destiny. The Force…it…_**frightened**_ her. She did not wish to be swept away by its power, changed into someone that she would not recognize."

The spirit continued to swirl around the Sith, touching her ever so gently with her power.

"She fled," it continued, "She fled to the outskirts of the Empire, from the center of power, far from those that would change her. Her gifts were still in their infancy, but they were strong enough to ensnare those mundanes that could help her build a new life for herself, a life that gave her a chance to avoid the questions of those that she had escaped."

The spirit smiled again, proud of what it had accomplished in its life.

"It was so easy, daughter, to disappear. The war against the Republic was about to start, and all eyes were turned to our enemies, they were not watchful for one such as I; one that had escaped their clutches."

Avaryss sneered at the ghost's reaction.

_If what the spirit said was true, then a young girl had made a terrible mistake. Mya Moritza was strong in the Force, and she squandered that ability. When she felt the dark side's call she fled from it like a cowering animal._

Avaryss shook her head.

_Pathetic._

The spirit reared up, anger flashed in its golden eyes, tendrils of shadow began to reshape, becoming blades and scythes.

"Do _**not**_ judge me Avaryss of the Sith," she spat, "If not for MY choice, you would NOT be here! You would not have been BORN had I not come to Oridanna! You would _not _even exist, so…**show some gratitude!"**

Keera swam to the forefront, pushing Avy back.

"Forgive us, mother, Avy meant no disrespect!"

Mya Lylos hissed.

"The traditions and the teaching of the Sith have twisted her view on the world. I knew that she would _**never **_help me. This is why I encouraged _**your**_ rise daughter. I tried to give Keera enough strength to manifest herself again.

The spirit smiled.

"I did not foresee what would happen. I thought to remind you of who you were, but it seems all I did was contribute to your mind splitting apart.

"It is not what I would have preferred, but we must work with what we have, and besides. You have grown so strong my dear Keera; you are a better Sith than Avaryss that much is clear, stronger and more devious."

The spirit radiated joy.

"I'm so proud of you daughter. Soon you will be ready to take your rightful place."

"And what is my rightful place, mother? What is it that _**you**_ foresee in MY future?"

"The future of the Empire, of course," she replied, "You will sit on the throne, and lead the Empire into a renaissance of power."

_So it says,_ Avaryss whispered in the back of Keera's mind, _did you not hear what it said, Keera She encouraged our mental break, the split that we now endure was partially, because of her!_

_Are you willing to accept all that she offers at face value?_

Keera was not quite sure.

She wanted to believe that the spirit was telling the truth, but deception was a part of the dark side.

Could any dark side spirit truly be trusted?

"Is Tahl Moritza a member of your family?" she asked, "Is this whole rebellion motivated by revenge? Is someone plotting against Lord Feer because of what happened to you?"

"Tahl Moritza does not realize that he is a pawn in a much larger game," the spirit responded, "The rebellion serves a purpose, to prepare the Empire to receive its next ruler. The Lylos family WILL rise if you continue to walk the path that I've set daughter. You need not fear Tahl Moritza, he is already dead; he just doesn't know it…yet."

Keera nodded, but inside she was not so accepting.

It didn't answer your question, Avaryss reminded her, how many times has Darth Feer promised you the same things that this…shade is offering, be mindful.

Wise advice, Keera thought, but perhaps…

…we can still use what she is offering; a pawn can become a king if one makes the right moves.

She smiled.

Betrayal was a dance that a Sith needed to learn, the steps were the path to power, and doorway to the vacant throne.

"I want what you are offering; mother," She admitted, "But I shall need more. You say that you are more than just a voice in my head, show me, please, give me a sign that this is more than the result of my mind turning against me."

The shadow slithered around her drawing in closer.

"More," the shadow hissed with a hungry smile, "I can give you more, daughter, proof that I'm an ally to not only you but to the Lylos family as a whole. In life, when I was young, I moved easily through the halls of the citadel, a beautiful prize that powerful men desired to possess. My presence there is still strong, I've seen much, and now I shall share with you something, something you have been plotting for a while now."

The shadow slid back, one of its tendrils ensnaring Keera's data pad, it turned on by itself, and began accessing files.

Keera watched, as wraith brought up information that she had never seen before.

She leaned in and read the file as the shadow withdrew; a cruel smile came to the dark lord's lips.

"Well," she purred, "What do we have here?"

The shadow smirked.

"A key to a door," it whispered, "You have desired to remove one of your enemies from the Moff's court, and now…you have what you need to do that. Bring this information to alien that serves you, he will verify what you are seeing."

The shadow began to dissipate.

"Rest," it murmured, "I need rest, it has been draining appearing here, and I must restore my strength."

Keera picked up the data pad, eager to return to Oridanna. She was ready to move her plan forward.

"Will I see you again, mother? Will you be able to answer more of my questions?"

The spirit nodded.

"All will become clear, daughter. Soon one will come with the answers you seek. Soon you shall have a new apprentice, one far more powerful than the sycophants you have gathered around yourself. Together, the two of you will be complete, and the throne will be yours."

The shadow faded away, Keera felt it leave. The power that encircled her was gone.

She sighed, feeling a sense of loss.

She is gone again.

My mother is gone.

But that sense of loss was only temporary, she read the file again, and grinned.

She needed to show this to Dym before they reached Oridanna!

The time had come to remove one of Darth Feer's pieces from the board.

She shivered with anticipation.

It is all coming together now, she thought hungrily.

First Oridanna, then Feer, then the Empire…and a new apprentice as well.

But who, Keera wondered, Necris, Xen, and Dym would likely not be pleased to see a fourth added to their company…

Of course, they would have to be alive to be displeased, if this new Sith was as powerful as her mother promised, if he or she was raw potential just waiting for a master to mold.

Things might get interesting quite soon…yes…

…very interesting indeed.

IOI

Keera was already at the landing ramp when the Fury finally touched down on the landing platform of the capital tower. Dym and Holli were at her side with HK Sigma Three bringing up the rear. Dr. Vrann followed after them with her data pad and recording droids, making notes and observations as ever.

Keera smiled.

She was still not sure about the Chiss, but she sensed no treason in her, no intent to harm her new employer, that was good.

If Project Death Knell was going to get off the ground again, she would need a smart and eager scientific mind to see it through. Her two previous scientists Dr. Euon Bolt, and his wife Janessa had been an extreme disappointment. Not only had they cost her time, credits and efforts, but they had foolishly thought to turn Death Knell against her, revenge for their former employer Darth Terrog.

Both scientists had died for their treason, Euon was killed by the Republic, and Janessa had been Force choked to death by Avaryss, herself. She hoped that the Chiss would be made of sterner stuff, and be able to deliver results.

She would see how the Nass-thing that she had helped create behaved when it was awakened. From there, she would be able to better gage the blue woman's skill and talent.

The boarding ramp lowered, steam hissed as it came down, and Keera and her crew disembarked. They were met at the entrance by Beric, Bleez, and Xen. Keera looked up and saw Necris as well, the Devish standing watch over Cynn Feer, the girl now clad in an Imperial military uniform.

The dark lord smiled.

She looked forward to what was coming next; this would be Lady Cynn's coming out party, and the end of one of Feer and Sadi's sycophants.

She was most eager to get this party started.

"My Lord," Beric said bowing slightly, "Welcome home."

"My lord," the Warmaster said with a bow.

"Master," Xen purred dropping into a deep curtsey."

"Hello, Captain, Warmaster, apprentice" she said with a curt nod.

Beric gave her a curious look; she wondered if he noticed anything different about her, she certainly felt different.

Knowing the truth about her condition had changed everything. She saw the world with new eyes.

She no longer had time for games. She needed to deal with certain matters…now.

In fact, new eyes were on the agenda, as well as a new brain, hands, feet, and everything else."

The thought amused her.

She would need to speak with Bleez, privately.

The acquisition of materials for the ritual to transfer her essence to a new form needed to begin, not to mention the acquisition of her new body. She had given it some thought on the way back.

She thought she had picked out the perfect candidate, not just to continue her life, but to begin the next stage of her plans.

The Republic still needed to answer for its many crimes. The traitors Kira Carsen and Scourge needed to be hunted down and punished. She needed a body that would help the Empire in those endeavors, to hasten the fall of their ancient enemy, and the Republic that sheltered them.

The mere thought of it made her feel all tingly.

Any old body would simply not do. She needed someone close to the Jedi. Someone they would not see coming. Someone that their Republic allies would trust, it would also be good to take a little personal revenge; that was never a bad thing.

The thought made her smile.

Her enemies would not know what hit them.

She looked around the landing pad, surprised not to see more people here to welcome her.

"Where are Moff Galek and Magistrate Hissa? I requested that they be here?"

Beric shifted uncomfortably in place.

"The magistrate sends his apologies," he informed her, "He is currently hosting a state dinner in the tower penthouse. He promises to send you a full report in the morning."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

"He holds a dinner for the powerful here in Danna City, and promised me a mere report?"

Keera glared at her brother.

"Were you invited to this dinner, captain?"

"I was not, my lord."

Keera frowned.

"But you were my designated proxy while I was away, you _**should**_ be there. It should be _your_ report that I listened to, not Moff Galek's."

"The Moff didn't leave it up for debate, my lord," Xen spoke up quickly, coming to her lover's rescue.

"Beric was told by Lord Sadi herself that he did not need to attend."

"Did she," Keera said in a cold silky voice, "Well, it seems that I need to have words with Lord Sadi, don't I?"

It was at that moment, that Dr. Vrann separated herself from the group, getting right up in Beric's face, and running a medical scanner over his head, its bright yellow lights making him wince.

"Interesting," the Chiss murmured, "Most interesting.

Keera's brother glared at the alien.

"What is this," he demanded, "Who are you?"

"Vrann," the Chiss replied, "You must be the brother, yes? The one without Force powers, hm."

The Chiss entered some readings on her data pad.

"You will make an excellent control for my research."

Beric blinked.

"Control? Sister, what is this? Who is this person?"

"A scientist that has recently entered my employ," Keera responded, "Vrann is helping me with…some _confidential_ matters."

She did not want to tell Beric she was dying, not yet.

Such a conversation was not one to be had surrounded by so many prying eyes and ears.

"Where do you want this, Boss?"

Rink emerged pushing the tank containing the Nass-thing.

Those that had not been on the Tatooine mission recoiled in horror. The silhouette of the creature was the stuff of nightmares.

Xen gasped as she saw it, the massive wings curled around the powerful form.

"**What…is…that?!"** she demanded, her hand going for her lightsaber.

The thing in the tank shuddered.

Beric started to draw his blaster.

"A scientific experiment," Keera replied, raising her hand, stopping any violence before it got out of hand, "Something that Dr. Vrann is working on for me.

She turned to Rink.

"See that safely to one of the rooms near my quarters, use the freight lift; let us not spook anyone in the tower."

"Gotcha, Boss," Rink said saluting, "Come on, Lujayne, help me."

Holli joined him, helping maneuver the large tank.

Vrann turned to her new master.

"I should go, as well, my lord. Make sure that the machine is functioning properly and that the subject's life readings are stable."

The Chiss moved in closer, whispering in her ear.

"You should also come see me about another injection. I've prepared a new batch of serum. The medical bay on your ship is quite adequate."

"I will doctor," she promised, "Once I've had a word with my fellow Sith."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

"Some…things need to be explained to them."

The Chiss nodded, her recorder droid bobbing around her head in wake as she followed Holli and Rink.

Keera took a deep breath, she looked over at Dym.

"The file I showed you, are you sure that its contents are accurate?"

"They are either accurate or an amazing forgery," The Muun said, "I'm not sure how you knew where to look to find it, but between that and what Cynn and I found, you have more than enough evidence to take care of this…problem."

Keera smiled.

"I'm so pleased that you agree."

She went to Cynn, her master's daughter looked around nervously, she had been kept hidden for so long, she likely wondered why all the secrecy had finally ended.

"Are you ready to do this," Keera asked, "Are you ready to do your duty, for the Empire?"

"Ready as I will ever be," the girl said adjusting her cap.

She looked up at the lights from the distant penthouse.

"My mother is here," the girl said, "I can sense her."

"You can," Keera replied, "Surprising."

Cynn's eyes narrowed.

"I may be weak in the Force, but I still have it, I'm no mere mundane."

"I'm glad to hear it;" the dark lord said dryly, "Having a touch of power will make things easier in your new position."

"As you say, my lord," Lady Feer said, "But…what will my new position be, Dym would not tell me."

"You will see," Keera promised, "I need to make a…example first, but then the way will be cleared for you to do much for the Empire here on Oridanna. Far more than your father would have thought."

"Good," the girl said with a cold smile, "I will show him that I'm someone that can be just cast aside."

The girl's anger pleased her, she would need that fire in the coming days; some people might question her.

She would need to be strong as she settled into her new duties.

"I need to go pay my respects to the Moff," she informed her fellows. If you will all follow me."

Her house fell in step beside her, Keera smiled as she made her way towards the turbolift.

Moff Galek was about to learn a valuable lesson. One she should have taught him long ago.

She shivered with anticipation.

This…would be fun.

IOI

"LORD AVARYSS! WHAT A SURPRISE!"

Keera smiled as she stood in the doorway of the dining hall, her house and apprentice's at her back.

_You want me to take this_, Avaryss offered, _I'm more than willing._

_No,_ Keera thought to her other half_; I will deal with this matter myself._

She smiled.

_You may sit back. Avy, and relax._

The penthouse dining hall of the government tower was called the Ragnos room, it was called this because its main centerpiece was life size portrait of the ancient Dark Lord Marka Ragnos, one of the most successful Sith of his time; the man who ruled for a century and elevated the Emperor himself to lordship.

Copies of the dark lord's legendary scepter were spaced evenly around the room, heavy steel things chased with gold; they were a symbol of the wealth and power that the Empire wielded, both in the far off golden age, and today.

The dining table sat thirty, and at this moment, it was full. She recognized Darth Sadi at the head with Bael to her right and the Moff to her immediate left. Across from the Moff sat Les Moor and his most recent concubine. Next to the trade minister sat his assistant, Tem Nurla, she had never spoken to the man but he had been at several meetings between herself and the Trade Minister.

She gave him a respectful nod.

He had an important part to play this evening.

Colonel Glasc was there too, she should not have been surprised that he was invited; he came from a wealthy family and had her master's ear.

The rest of those at the table were various functionaries she was not familiar with. The only one she made mental note of was Gravid Sachuff, he was the Hutt Cartel's main contact here on Oridanna, and helped provide the government farms with the necessary labor they needed to stay running.

I will need to speak with him soon, she thought. I will have need of a great many slaves soon enough.

It was Darth Sadi that had spoken up; she stood and offered welcome to her sister Sith.

"We did not expect you back until tomorrow, my lord," she said, please join us. You are more than welcome at our table."

"I'm sure you didn't, Keera thought, but that was no excuse for offering me such insult.

She smiled.

"There is no need for that Lord Sadi," she answered, "I'm a bit tired from my journey, but felt the need to check in before I retired for the evening. What I have to say will be brief."

"Of course, my friend, of course," Sadi said gesturing, "We welcome anything you have to say."

We'll see about that, Avy said from her place in the back of Keera's mind.

The young dark lord almost laughed.

How little Sadi truly understood.

She looked around the room again, surprised not to see Magistrate Hissa here, or Ro Wilkes; though she should not have been surprised. Hissa held little favor with Sadi, which meant he was likely barred from such affairs, and Ro, being Keera's aid and lover, would have been equally denied entrance, at least on his own.

It's for the best, she thought, this way they would not see what was about to happen.

Keera sighed.

Oh how she enjoyed flexing her powers.

She smiled.

"My good men and women," she began, "I get the feeling that none of you understand my true purpose here. Since my return home some of you have labored under the idea that my presence here is only to advance my master's interests, which some of you assume to be **your** interests. After all, it was he that placed you in your positions, and has not issued any complaint or rebuke for your actions."

She began to pace, walking behind the various guests. She kept her hands behind her back, and her tone light.

She giggled.

"As a Darth, it falls to me to maintain order in our beloved Empire. While the fool Jedi preach equality and peace, we Sith understand that the one constant in the galaxy is that people are not all equal, and peace is a lie."

She paused briefly behind Bael Feer. She rested her hands on his shoulders; he looked at his master, who nodded, no doubt, suggesting that he do nothing.

Wise choice, she thought.

She removed her hands and continued to pace, walking the full length of the table.

"Yes, people are not equal," she continued, moving past Bael and his master, moving past Moff Galek and his wife, and continuing farther down, passing by guest after guest.

She came to Synestra Feer, she was surprised that her master's wife was here, but she should not have been.

Synestra would have been insulted had she not been invited.

"Yet, inequality does not mean that people are without use," Keera continued, "Take young Cynn here. She is quite talented, and very useful in my work."

She gestured for the group to part, Cynn Feer stepped forward.

Synestra turned, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Cynn?" she gasped.

"Hello, Mother," the girl said coldly, "It is has been some time."

Synestra shot an angry look at Keera, her eyes flaring.

"What is the meaning of this?!" she demanded, "What game are you playing girl?!"

Keera chuckled.

"It is about rage, Lady Synestra," she informed the other Sith, "On Korriban, we are taught to harness our rage and hatred, to let it lift us up and make us strong. Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion I gain strength…"

Keera reached out with the Force, and pulled one of the heavy metal scepters into her hands. It was heavier than it looked but her cybernetic hand was more than up to the task of wielding it.

"A bit weighty," she purred, "I'm guessing the real one wasn't as heavy."

She laughed lightly and continued her circuit spinning the scepter lightly...

"Passion can overwhelm a Sith sometimes," she admitted, "It is easy to lose yourself to your anger, and when that happens you become a tool of the dark side, instead of it serving you."

She glanced over at Bael, she was drawing closer to him again; she gently thumped the scepter in her organic palm.

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

"True mastery of the dark side is knowing when not to give into your rage, of containing it, and using its power to serve your needs."

"Is there a point to all this Lord Avaryss?" Moff Galek asked.

"I'm getting there now, governor," she answered, "And be a dear and do not interrupt me again."

The Moff wisely shut his mouth.

"Where was I," Keera asked, "Oh yes, mastery, I studied long and hard to master my abilities, to become more than my master's errand girl, but many people at this table still think so little of me; so much so that they are willing to speak out of turn, to even offer support to the rebels."

She sensed the change in the party, they were starting to understand the point, but she was not there…yet, an example still needed to be made.

She looked up at Dym.

"Apprentice, send the file that I sent you."

"As you wish, my lord," the Muun said entering the command on his data pad.

Several of the pads belonging to the people at the table beeped.

"What you are all receiving is the result of an investigation I undertook as high inquisitor. Finance is really not my thing, but fortunately I have skilled people who serve me, people who do understand the ebb and flow of credits."

She laughed dismissively she passed by Synestra again.

"A lot of credits pass through several holding companies here in the capital, not all of them make it out again, but that is to be understandable, graft is the cost of doing business. It was the amounts however that caught my eye."

She paused briefly behind Moff Galek.

"The interesting thing is that these holding companies that are being paid have nothing to do with the primary business of our world, it has nothing to do with Food or medical production, and yet someone is still transferring credits into these accounts, and before those credits can move on, large amounts have been deducted. It has been missed up until this point because no one was watching too closely. Anyone who investigated might have thought that some bureaucrat was helping himself to a little petty cash. I have no real problem with that, as I said, a little corruption is to be expected the cost of doing business."

She paused behind Glasc, touching his arm with her mechanical one, it would not be hard to slide her metal fingers up and tear out his throat.

Tempting, but not why she was here.

She let go and continued on.

"Business is business," she added, "But recently I found an interesting piece of evidence, linking one of these holding companies with a recently deceased go between on Nar Shadda, a man that I saw die myself, a man that was used to hire people to strike at our holdings on Pholis."

She took a deep breath, her anger finally coming to the surface.

"Tell me. Good people, when did you start thinking you were smarter than me? I'm a Darth, a Dark Lord of the Sith. Deception and cunning are as natural to me as breathing the air."

She began to pound the scepter hard into her palm, the sound of metal slapping against flesh became louder and louder.

"Do you good people think that I'm an IDIOT? Do you not know the penalty for treason! Are you so used to getting away with whatever you want because you think Darth Feer understands? DO YOU?!"

Her voice became more and more shrill; her anger was starting to boil over.

You think Feer will shield you, that you can get away with whatever you want?! It is true that he wanted me to preserve what he had built here, but he also charged me with dealing with the rebels. I've been patient, more than understanding, and if I had five or six years I might be able to bring you all over to my way of thinking, but I'm running out of time, the Empire is running out of time. The Republic and Jedi continue to resist us. I don't have the time to coddle and change your minds. I must act now."

"I understand your position, my friend," Darth Sadi said, "But seriously, before you make any rash judgments you should consult your master, we can go speak to with him now…together."

"I appreciate that, Lord Sadi," Keera said sweetly, "But I fear that the time for talk is over. Someone here has been talking to our enemies, conspiring with the rebels to harm the Imperial war effort. They must answer for that. Yesss, they must answer."

Keera took a shuddering breath; she continued to bang the scepter into her palm.

**SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!**

"When someone betrays us, they must answer!"

**SLAP SLAP! SLAP!**

"When you speak with our enemies, consort with them…"

She stopped directly behind the trade minister.

"THIS…IS WHAT HAPPENS!"

**CRAAACK! **

Keera swung the scepter with all her strength, using the Force to make the strike that much harder.

Tem Nurla's face exploded! Blood and bone splattered the table and the two people sitting next to him. Moore's concubine shrieked in horror.

The bloody mess that had been Tem Nurla tried to sit up, his jaw and nose pulverized; sucking sounds came through the holes that had once been his nose and mouth.

Keera struck him again, this time across the back of his skull.

The man's head pulped as she struck him again and again.

The other guests screamed; some retched sickened by the violence.

The Dark Lord did not stop; she gave into her anger, savoring the sweet release.

Through the haze of fury, Keera caught Bael's cruel gaze, his eyes alight with excitement at the brutal way she was killing the traitor.

_Still a little pervert_, she thought, _no matter what Sadi did._

"AVARYSS!"

Sadi was on her feet, shouting.

Moor's girl was still screaming.

Keera glared at her, her eyes ablaze with purple fire.

"SHUT THAT WHORE UP OR I WILL HAVE HER TONGUE!"

The woman had enough wits about her to cover her mouth, she looked away sobbing.

"LORD AVARYSS!" Sadi was on her feet, her lightsaber in hand, its blade lit with an evil hiss.

"ENOUGH!"

Keera heard her, not that it really mattered.

The point had been made.

The specter of treason had been dealt with, thanks to the specter of Mya Lylos.

Keera almost laughed.

She was _**pleased.**_

She looked down at the bloody twitching mess that had been Tem Nurla.

She grinned, her face spattered with blood and bone.

She giggled.

"By order of the High Inquisitor of Oridanna," she said, "Let it be known that the traitor Tem Nurla was executed on this date, his execution carried out by the Darth Avaryss, Dark Lord of the Sith and High Inquisitor."

She plucked a piece of bone out of her hair and turned to Les Moor.

"Let it _**also **_be known, that by order of the Dark Council, Les Moor is also charged with treason, and will be interrogated immediately."

She turned to two of the guards that had watched the affair with shocked eyes.

"Guards! SEIZE HIM!"

They had just enough to smarts to obey, ignoring the twitching body at the table.

Moor shrieked as he was dragged away, begging for mercy and declaring his innocence.

Keera smiled.

_He would not be singing that tune much longer._

She threw the scepter down with a loud clang; she no longer had need of it.

The higher ups looked at her with new eyes.

She grinned at them.

"Order has returned to Oridanna," she said, "Let your friends and families know."

She paused as she was walking away. She noticed a piece of sweet bread on one of the guest's plates; it had been shielded from her rage by a drinking glass.

"Do you mind," she asked, the horrified man, "It seems that I've worked up an appetite."

The man nodded dumbly.

"Thanks," she said plucking up the morsel and popping it into her mouth.

She shivered.

Delicious.

She looked at the Moff and Darth Sadi, neither looked pleased.

She grinned.

Too bad!

She turned to Colonel Glasc.

"You should come along Colonel; we have an interrogation to conduct."

The man swallowed hard, he looked at Synestra who nodded, she had said nothing about the violence; she only had eyes for her daughter, the eyes of a concerned mother.

Keera's own people did not seem that affected, well, almost all.

Beric looked like he was going to be sick.

Poor boy, she thought.

I thought he had a stronger stomach.

"Enjoy the rest of your dinner folks," she called as she left with her servant's filing out behind her.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled wickedly at them all.

"I'm sure I'll be seeing you all again soon.

She enjoyed the shiver that ran through the group. The dark side was alive with their fear and horror.

Delicious!

Yes, she thought, I will be seeing them all again soon…

…very soon.


	50. My Dear Brother

**Chapter 50: My Dear Brother**

"_**Sister! Wha…WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"**_

Keera barely heard him; she was currently floating three feet above her bed, deep in Sith meditation.

_Why must he be here now,_ she wondered dreamily, _Can he not see that I'm riding the waves of power?_

The thought made her giggle. She felt _wonderful_, she felt like she could take on the entire Jedi Order herself.

She took a deep and cleansing breath.

I…am…_**everything **_she thought, _let all my enemies…beware._

_They are nothing to me!_

_They are…__**NOTHING!**_

She had just come from seeing Dr. Vrann; the Chiss had given her another injection, a new version of the serum that she had developed to combat the symptoms of the virus that Terrog had unleased upon his unwilling possible apprentice.

"You may feel a little different after this one, my lord," the Chiss warned, "This version of my serum contains a five percent Ryll spice mix."

The alien smiled.

"Spice has been known to boost telepathic abilities in the human brain, and should serve well in keeping the nerves being affected by the virus, functioning. Plus, you will likely feel really good for a bit.

"I suggest returning to your quarters, until the initial euphoria wears off."

She had done just that, following her doctor's advice, she had gone from the interrogation suites straight to the Chiss, and now she was back in her quarters. She had taken a long hot shower, the spice burning in her brain, and the hot water feelings fantastic on her bare skin. She washed away the blood, bone, and violence of the dinner and the interrogation that had come afterward. Blood ran from her fingertips as she wiped away the leftovers of Oridanna's former trade minister. Even now his screams echoed in her ears, he had not given up any names, not yet, but he would…time and pain would reveal everything.

It was all so…delicious, to get so dirty, and now to have the chance to be clean, it was an experience that she treasured.

The only thing that could have made her shower better was if Ro or Fenn had been there to share the experience. She had been left aroused by the destruction she had caused, and wished that either of the men in her life could be here, now, to help her slake the lust that now burned so brightly within her. She longed for release, to feel strong male hands moving over her body, helping her clean those…hard to reach places.

She had left the shower, slightly disappointed, missing the touch of a good man. She had slipped on a humble white shift, and tried to make the best of her frustration, to use it to cultivate greater strength. She began to meditate, basking in the power of the dark side, and the violence that she had caused. Beric had arrived shortly after, her dear brother had stormed in before she had a chance to prepare, her guards, so used to simply letting him into her quarters, had not tried to keep him out. It had not occurred to her to tell them that she was not to be disturbed. It had been an oversight on her part.

_Oops,_ she thought with a giggle.

_Oh well, nothing she could do about it now._

She took another shuddering breath. She felt GREAT!

It was not simply the spice though, that was only a minor pleasure, one that she did not indulge normally, no, what had her feeling so good at that moment…was _**fear.**_

She could _**feel**_ it, it radiated through the tower like the light from a star.

Beautiful, uncontrollable, and undeniable terror; and it was all because of _**her**_, all because of what she had unleashed.

It was delicious!

It was glorious!

Panic ran through the inhabitants of the government tower. Word of Les Moor's arrest, not to mention the example that Keera had made of his aid had spread. For too long, the people that lived and worked here assumed she was just a tool of her master, that she would do nothing to change up the system he had built.

They…had been wrong, and now the rodents were scrambling, contacting people, erasing records, and wondering what the High Inquisitor would do next, if they would share the fate of Les Moor's aid.

_They __**fear **__me_, she thought, _as they should have done from the start._

She smiled.

Good.

She should have cultivated that particular emotion from the very beginning.

Beric was still ranting at her; she heard him mostly, and tried to tune it out, but soon realized that it was impossible.

She sighed.

_We will just have to speak with him_, Avaryss said, _it will be the only way to get him to leave._

Not the only way, Keera thought back, but…you are right.

_I've had my fun for the day. I should try to be civil about this._

She lowered herself to the bed, and opened her eyes.

Fortunately, she had not had the chance to slip truly deep into the dark side. She had not been meditating long.

Beric was rambling on and on about the trade minister. She didn't understand why, the man had been a traitor, and though he had not named names yet, he would.

She didn't doubt her talent in that particular arena, Moor would talk, eventually. He would be spending the night in the interrogation room; she would resume his questioning in the morning.

They would continue their conversation, and he would have names for her, she would make sure of that.

They were only just getting started.

He would talk.

People always talked.

Of course she still had to be careful; she didn't want to lose her prize. Her master would still expect an explanation, beyond the evidence that she had found.

It was wise to proceed cautiously.

That was why she had brought Colonel Glasc with her; she knew that the loyalty officer would want to sit in on the interrogation, for her master's sake if anything else. Though Avy was not overly fond of torture, Keera was starting to _**revel **_in it, to savor the little emotions of her subject. She had taken her time with Moor, tried to learn just what the man knew about the rebellion, and why he was funneling credits into holding companies that they had access too.

The man had not wanted to talk, he resisted, he was clearly scared, and protecting someone. Keera endeavored to find out who, she had taken…extreme measures to get him to talk, once again annoyed that she had been born with no talent for Force Persuasion, it would have made things so much easier, but then again…it would not have been as much fun had she not been able to apply so many of the wonderful toys that the interrogation suite had to offer, she had indulged herself, not even bothering with the torture droid.

Why should the machine have all the fun?

When she had finally stopped for the night, Colonel Glasc had looked at her with a new found respect. She knew how he had seen her before all this; how he had looked down on her. This interrogation was as much about his education as it was about extracting information from the traitorous trade minister.

_Let him dare say that I'm weak, let him __**suggest**__ it._ Tonight, he had seen otherwise, and left the room a little paler than when he came in. Perhaps he had doubted the limits of her cruelty? Tonight, he had seen that her limits were far more than he realized. She was eager to hear what the man's next transmission to her master would say. .She hoped that he now realized that she was far more than a mere tool.

Moor had not cracked, yet, she was surprised, but not as much as she should have been.

She once again wondered if Darth Sadi knew anything about what was happening. The man had had her ear after all. She wondered if Moor was protecting her, if so, it would not be forever, the man would tell her what she wanted to know.

Sadi should have killed Moor before letting him be taken away, her hesitation would be her undoing, that or perhaps she underestimated Avaryss, still thought of her as mere extension of her master's will.

If so, the Lord of the Itae system was wrong.

She was soooo much more.

"Sister, Keera, are you listening to me?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Ric," she replied with an exasperated sigh, "I think they can hear you back on Dromund Kaas."

She looked at her brother; he was pacing nervously, on the verge of panic.

She had never seen him like this? It was…surprising to say the least.

"What were you thinking," He repeated, "Are you mad?"

"I'm actually quite content right now," she said with a dreamy smile.

He gave her a look of pure disbelief.

Sister, are you high?"

"I was when you entered," she replied, with a touch of annoyance, "May I ask why you would seek to ruin my good mood?"

"Your…your good mood," her brother stammered, "that is what you're concerned with?"

He shook his head.

"Keera," he said sounding aghast, "You beat a man's head in with a scepter!"

"I needed to make an example, and the man did not deserve the decency of a firing squad, or to be strangled by the Force. The rebels are animals, brother, they prey on civilians. The man deserved an animal's death.

She smirked.

"It was most…_**gratifying**_."

He turned, she could feel the fear radiating off of him as well, and it sickened her.

_You are my brother, and I love you, but I cannot understand this._

_When did you go so soft?!_

Her brother should have been celebrating her success not worrying about it, and it _**was**_ a success.

She was finally moving forward without fear.

He should have been pleased.

"Les Moor was protected by your master," he reminded her, "What do you think the councilor will say when he finds out about this?"

A good question, Keera realized, and one she had considered before making her move.

"Moor was a traitor," she reminded him, "The evidence I presented proves that, and besides, it is not like I had no plan to replace him. Effective immediately, Cynn Feer will serve as interim Trade Minister for Oridanna, my apprentice Dym will aid her. She is actually quite sharp; she will serve well in her new position."

She wondered how her master would respond when he learned that. His reaction would be most interesting.

Feer would no doubt have some questions about Cynn's presence here, how she survived the attack on Dromund Kaas, but he would understand the message she was sending by revealing that she had the girl. He would understand that his daughter was now hers, and what might happen if he tried to oppose her openly.

Feer might try to strike back, but she didn't think he would, not yet, anyway.

Synestra was here, and she had seen her daughter, to be honest, Keera had expected a visit by her before anyone else, no doubt wanting an explanation and a chance to speak with her eldest child.

Keera had already moved Cynn out of the capital, just in case, the girl would return to resume her new duties shortly, but only after Keera and Synestra Feer had had a chance to talk, and to reach a new understanding.

This was a dangerous game they were playing, but for the first time, she was starting to feel like she was two moves ahead.

She was eager to see what move her master might try next, and what counter-move the rebels would attempt to try and pay her back for Minister Moor's removal.

Whatever their plan, it would not save them; she was no longer interested in toying with the rebels, and playing power games with the rulers of Oridanna. She no longer had the time for that.

She likely no longer had the time for anything.

"I don't understand this," Beric said, once again pacing before her, "Your plans were working, they were moving slowly, but they were working."

"That they were," she agreed, "But they were moving TOO slow. I needed to heat things up, and accelerate what we were trying to accomplish."

"But why?" he demanded, "It was _**working!**_ You were winning the hearts and minds of the people."

Keera frowned; she did not believe she needed to explain herself.

She was a Sith Lord, her brother was mere imperial; he should remember his place.

"The war continues to drag on," she reminded him, "The quicker that I resolve this matter, the quicker that the Empire can get back to dealing with its true enemies, the Republic and their Jedi lapdogs. The resources of Oridanna must continue to flow, and they can only do that once the rebels have been neutralized."

Keera grinned.

"And it will not be long now, Ric. I can feel it, our victory is at hand."

Beric shook his head, he remained skeptical.

His doubting her was annoying, why did he still underestimate her power?

"You know that there is going to be retaliation for this? There must have been a better way. Yes, you made a point tonight, but you also burned down the bridges that you were building with the leadership. Sadi will no doubt see you as an enemy now."

"I've been her enemy from the very beginning," she reminded him, "Now we are both free to admit it."

"You could have handled this better, if the rebels are so close to disintegrating, why provoke the rest of the leadership? You could have moved more cautiously, ensured that the rebels were neutralized, unable to strike at the Empire's interests, you could have hobbled them and kept your good relations with Sadi and her allies."

"I could have, yes," she agreed, trying not to lose her temper, his questioning of her was starting to annoy her.

"But once again, as I said, we were moving too slow. I needed to accelerate my plans."

"But why," demanded, "We had the time, what did it matter if you took the next five years establishing a power base here, you could…"

Keera couldn't help it; she lost control, angry at her brother's insolence and questioning of her rule.

She lost control.

"I'M DYING YOU IDIOT! I DON'T HAVE FIVE KRIFFIN YEARS! I MAY NOT HAVE TWO!"

Her admission caught him off guard, the Force radiated with shock and disbelief.

Both Keera and Avaryss blinked.

Shit, Avaryss thought.

Keera? What have you done?

She had no answer of course, she had lost her temper, and now…this.

Beric looked at her, he…to say he was surprised was an understatement.

"Dying?" he said, "But…I don't understand?"

He looked her up and down.

"You look fine, sister. You look better than any time since we met back on Taris."

She gave him a sad smile.

"The healthy glow in my cheeks is proof of my approaching end," she informed him, "Darth Terrog murdered me the day he attacked the Feer estate. What we mistook for a vaccine to his Fydon Virus was actually a cleverly designed bio-weapon; it strengthens the body, but destroys the mind. My brain is even now mutating, degrading."

She shook her head.

"As I said, with treatment, I might have two years, maybe three. Beyond that, I'm doomed. My brain will continue to change, I will grow more and more unstable, if I don't die from a seizure, I will end up brain dead, or so insane that I will not be able to function."

She laughed coldly.

"I thought that I was a Sith of destiny, I'm in the prime of my life, and now I discover that my dreams have turned to ash, and all because Darth Terrog wanted me to be his apprentice."

She sneered.

"You have to admire the irony, if nothing else."

Her brother shook his head, he was clearly in shock.

He didn't want to accept what had happened, she did not blame him.

She didn't want to accept it either.

"If…if this is true sister, we need to get you to a doctor! There must be something that we can do."

"Dr. Vrann is handling my treatment," she assured him, "The serum she has designed will give me the extra time I need. I will cement my legacy while I still can, and with luck and the resources I've given the good doctor, she will hopefully find a cure, a means to halt the mutations in my brain."

"And if she can't?" he asked.

Keera smiled.

"You are worried about me, dear brother, I'm touched."

She laughed; it was a cold and ugly sound.

"Fear not, I've already taken steps to ensure that my story does not end this way. I've not given up, not yet."

He glared at her, angry that he was only hearing about this now.

"Why would Terrog do this to you? I thought you said he wanted you to serve him, why would he give you a fatal illness?"

"Because it wasn't meant to be fatal," she informed him, "Terrog was a scientist and a Sith Lord. The virus strengthens my body, even as it destroys my mind. He would have replaced the dying portions of my brain with cybernetics, in the end I would have been like Fehl. I would have been a puppet dancing on his strings."

An angry hiss escaped her lips.

"The punishment I gave the fool was far too gentle, he may be damned for all eternity, but even that isn't good enough, he destroyed my destiny, and no amount of agony can make up for that."

Her brother had fallen silent; he looked like he had been kicked by a rancor.

It pleased her to know that he still loved her enough to be worried.

Are you sure this actually happening?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

He gave her a hopeful expression

"How do you know the alien isn't lying, maybe this serum she is giving you is a poison, maybe she is trying to kill you. You should seek out another doctor; they may be able to help you."

"I thought about that, which is why I had the medical droid aboard the Fury do a brain scan. It detected several anomalies, not to mention a chemical imbalance within my brain.

She shrugged.

"The medical scan confirmed what the Chiss told me, the changes are subtle, but they will kill me eventually."

"What was the droid's prognosis?"

"Pretty much what Vrann said; I'm living on borrowed time."

She sighed.

"So you see, I can no longer afford to waste time here, the rebellion must end, Oridanna must be protected, and Darth Feer must die."

She gave him an evil grin.

"It is the only way to ensure, my legacy, and to make sure that I have the time I need to save myself."

That got Beric's attention.

"Save yourself? So…there is a cure, you do have a way to survive this."

"In a manner of speaking," she replied.

She looked down at her hands, they were, precious to her at that moment, the euphoria of the spice she had ingested gave way to sense of depression, part of her wanted to go running to Vrann for another injection, but she rejected that idea.

That way of thinking led to addiction, and she would not go down that path. She would turn her negative emotions to anger and hate. They would fuel her powers.

They would give her what she needed, she would survive.

"This poor body of mine is used up; it has been poisoned, maimed, and now diseased. It no longer serves its purpose, and so I shall move on, and acquire a new body for myself."

She grinned wickedly.

"Soon, dear brother, I shall be reborn! Darth Avaryss will live, and I shall enter a new state of unlimited power."

He gave her a sick look, he…he looked like he didn't recognize her anymore.

"That is impossible," he said.

"_Difficult_, but _**not**_ impossible," she assured him, "The dark side offers many such black miracles, unnatural solutions that would boggle the mundane mind."

She giggled.

"I've spent years researching the topic, originally I intended to use what I learned to resurrect my lover, Fehl, now I shall use it to survive Terrog's pitiful attempt to destroy me."

She smiled.

"This body will end, it will rest in the tombs of Korriban, but I shall not. This sickness will not be the end of my story, Ric, it will be the beginning."

"I will…survive."

Beric looked at her, he looked ill himself, clearly he did not believe what she was telling him.

Ah the limits of the mundane mind, she thought, she was eager to show him just how wrong he was.

She could only imagine the look on his face when she stood before him, staring at him with new eyes and a new face.

It would be…delicious!

"Only the Emperor was able to achieve immortality, Keera, you will fail."

She frowned, if he only knew.

Mother had managed to slip the chains of death, she had returned. If she could do it with only her limited understanding of the dark side, her daughter, a fully trained Sith should have no problem at all.

Of course, what she was planning, it was not the same as what the Emperor had done. He had sought to become a god, she merely thought to ensure her own survival it would be no less miraculous, but it would be far simpler.

She needed him to understand this.

"I do not seek immortality, brother. I seek only to survive long enough to cement my legacy. According to Dr. Vrann, the virus does not affect the body, only the brain; the rest of me is healthy, more than healthy. I will endeavor to sire an heir before my time runs out. I will ensure that the Lylos bloodline does not die out."

Her eyes sparkled with mischievous intent.

"This body will not survive long enough for me to see my child grow up, so I will take a new one. I will be both mother and master to the next Lord Avaryss. Boy or girl, it will not matter. I will ensure that my child inherits an Empire unlike any that has existed. I will be invulnerable, brother. Your dear baby sister will live a long and happy life."

He said nothing; he looked at her like he was looking at a mad woman.

She frowned.

"You doubt me? You doubt the power of the dark side?"

"I would rather you not waste your life chasing fantasies," he said, "If you are sick, we can find another way, the galaxy is vast; a cure must exist out there somewhere."

"I have no time to hunt for it. My plan will succeed; the spell that I require is difficult, but not impossible to perform. Once I've gathered the appropriate sac…components, all that I will require is a Sith strong enough to carry out the final rites. They will help me transition to my new body, and in return, I will reward them with knowledge and powers beyond their wildest dreams."

"And who is this lucky, Sith," he asked, "Who can you trust with something this big?"

"That is the question, isn't it?" she said, "I will find someone, trust me on that. As for my new body, I have several candidates in mind. I will set HK on the hunt, he is good at his job, and will bring me what I require."

"HK," he said, "Why not me, Keera, do you not trust me?"

"You have another purpose, Ric, one that is just as important."

Her smile turned sad.

"If I fail, if I cannot ascend to true power, the future of our house belongs to you. You must convince Xen to give you a child. The two of you must ensure the continuance of the Avaryss bloodline."

She enjoyed the blush that came to his cheeks; surely the thought of impregnating Xen was not that daunting.

"I will have a gift for you soon, a failsafe should my plan prove to be just a fantasy story."

She reached out with the Force, a hidden panel built into the walls of her chamber opened, a small crystalline pyramid floated out and into the Dark Lord's hand.

She smiled at it, its surface was black, with gold fittings, Sith glyphs adorned its sides, chief among them the ancient symbol for greed, for avarice.

She showed it to him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"A holocron," she replied, "_**My**_ holocron, I started work on it after the Inferno Nebula, it contains many of my spells and tales of my adventures."

She reached out to the device with the Force. It glowed and a holographic representation of her appeared above its surface.

"I am Darth Avaryss, Dark Lord of the Sith," the image said, "State your desire hopeful."

Keera grinned as she dismissed the image; she looked at her brother, her expression hard and serious.

"What is contained within this holocron is what I will leave for your children, should my plans fail. They will grow up knowing my teachings. They will ensure that my legacy endures, that the Lylos family and their progeny endure for the next thousand years."

Beric nodded as he looked at the Sith device, he met his sister's gaze.

"I will guard it with my life," he promised, "my children and their children will honor you and continue to follow your path."

She laughed.

"Let us not get ahead of ourselves, Ric," she said with an amused smirk, "I'm not dead, yet. As I told you, this is only a failsafe, I intend to be there and watch your children grow."

He took the holocron from her hands and put it back in its hiding place.

"If anyone can pull this off, dear sister, I think you can."

She rose from her bed and walked up to him, she waited until the holocron was safely placed in its hiding place, when it was hidden once more, he turned, and she embraced her brother. He hugged her back, tightly, in that moment she felt only love for her sibling, the last living member of her family.

She stepped back and smiled.

"I'm glad you're here, Ric; standing with me during this most difficult of times."

A single tear ran down her cheek.

"If I can't return, swear that you will protect my heir, that you will teach him about his mother, your sister."

"I swear it," he promised, "You will not be forgotten."

"Good," she purred, "that is very good."

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"I love you, brother."

"And I you little sister." He kissed her forehead.

She beamed up at him, her dear brother.

Her family.

He laughed wiping at his own eyes a tear that threatened to fall.

"So…what is next?"

"We end the rebellion," she said, "Once that is done, I will finally have both the prestige and the power to challenge my master, and in that moment, I will keep my promise to you.

"You will get to watch Darth Feer die; he will finally answer for what he did to our family."

"Then we had best hurry," he said, "How do you intend to do it?"

"The rebels will strike back at us for what I did to Moor, they can't afford not to, we shall use the fool to draw them out, to draw Tahl Moritza out, and then…I shall destroy him."

"It may not be that easy, sister," her brother warned her, "What if the rebel has some trick up his sleeve.

She shook her head dismissively.

"I have nothing left to lose, dear brother, the rebels have nothing to threaten me with, and nothing they possess can hurt me."

She laughed.

"I'm now…invulnerable to them."

That is how she thought at that moment; two days later she would learn that she had been mistaken.

Tahl Moritza had one last card to play, and Avaryss and Keera both would suffer for it.

She was not the only one capable of pulling off a surprise.

And this surprise shook the Dark Lord to her core.

The time for skirmishes was done.

The End game begun.


	51. The Day

**Chapter 51: The Day**

For both Avaryss and Keera Lylos, it was a day of days.

What is a day of days, some would ask? A day of days was one of those days in a person's life where everything they knew got turned upside down, some event or person did something that changed your to your very core.

You never know when a day of days is coming. You woke up, bathed, broke your fast and started your day. You had it all planned out, it was just going to be another day. Things would happen as you expected, and when the day was done you would go to bed, with the knowledge you would wake up and start again, noting would be different, and nothing would change. You could never guess the truth, how could you? You could never guess that your world was about to shift and you would have no time to prepare yourself for it, and when it was over, there would be no turning back, no way to have that comfortable normal life tha you had before.

You…were forever changed.

On a day of days, it could be anything, anything could cause that shift. The sudden loss of a friend or loved one, a natural disaster that no one could have predicted, or perhaps the discovery that you were about to become a parent for the first time.

Good or bad, happy or sad, right or wrong, the day of days came, and without warning, you were left changed, either to rejoice, or to try and pick up the pieces.

Keera had faced one such day already, the realization that she was living on borrowed time had forced her to change her plans dramatically, no longer was she simply working towards bringing down her master, and ascending to the height of the Empire. Those goals were still important, but now her own survival took precedence, she needed to find a way to continue on. She needed to prepare, to gather all her wisdom, and use it to finish the work on the grand spell that was supposed to have brought her late lover Fehl back to her.

Only now, it was _**she **_that would need it. It was _**she**_ that would need a new body.

Irony.

Fehl was gone now, lost in the madness beyond death, destroyed for his lack of vision, and his support of Darth Terrog, not to mention his role in Avaryss' sickness, the slow murderer that was even now working its way through her brain.

It was ironic, she had labored so long and hard to find a way to bring him back, and in his return, he had killed her. Now that very same work she had counted on to bring him back would save her life, hopefully.

Keera shook her head.

Nothing was certain, all she could say for sure was that knowledge was power, and power was power.

She would need both if she was live beyond the few years that her poor damaged body had left.

She would need to become…so much more than she was now.

If she had any hope of survival, she needed to be more.

It was a daunting task for sure.

She had risen from her bed before dawn, and immediately set to work. It would have been better had her lover been here, if Ro had come to her last night, loved her and held her until it was time to rise. Sadly, Ro wasn't there, he was off dealing with the rebellion that they had sworn to crush.

He is so dedicated, she thought, her body warming. She would reward that dedication when he returned; he would be allowed to do whatever he wanted to her in their bed.

He would like that, he enjoy dominating her.

Even now, the thought made her shudder with desire.

She missed not having him in her arms last night. She could have used his comforting embrace, but it would also have been a distraction, yes. And she could no longer afford to be distracted.

There was so much to do and so little time.

She began by contacting Ludo Hysh, the Steward of House Avaryss. It had fallen to him since the war began to protect the treasure trove of information and artifacts she had been collecting since her earliest days as a Sith Acolyte. At her command, the Steward sent over all the files she had collected on essence transfer, and the various spells and methods for carrying out such a feat. She was not the first Sith to attempt it, and she would not be the last.

The trick was carrying it out successfully; the histories of their people were full of stories of the less than successful attempts.

She didn't intend for her tale to be one of those.

She would succeed.

She had to.

Most of the records were quite old, taken from the works and words of the ancient Sith Lord Naga Sadow, the architect of the temples of Yavin IV and of the conflict that the Jedi referred to as the Great Hyperspace war.

Sadow had had an interest in transferring himself to a new body, and had also known quite a bit about preserving a body as well, the dark lord had learned much in the service of his mentor, Lord Simus, the Sith Lord that had failed in his challenge to Marka Ragnos, and had spent almost a century after reduced to being a talking head, in a stasis jar.

It was not the ending that she would have wanted, but you had to give Simus credit, the ancient Sith had endured, when others would have surrendered and gave up on ever living again.

Simus had not done that, he had survived, and guided the empire for decades after his failed attempt at a coup.

There was something to learn in such an attempt, a lesson for how far a Sith should be prepared to go.

Keera tried to adapt that lesson in coming up with her spell.

How far was _**she**_ prepared to go?

As far as needed, and then a hundred steps beyond.

Whatever it took, that is what she would do.

She would survive!

As she worked, she found herself turning to the files she had translated long ago on Korriban, the files that Lord Zash had sent to Overseer Harkun, who had in turn passed them on to her.

The more she read, the more she began to understand what exactly had happened the day that Zash had ended up trapped within her apprentice's bodyguard. The spell that the wizened sorceress had tried had not been the most stable of means to take a new body.

Had the witch been desperate or merely arrogant and foolish?

Either explanation could explain what had happened next.

Keera shook her head, as understanding dawned on her.

Zash, you fool, she thought with a grim smile.

You stupid fool!

She leaned back in her chair, reading the texts that she had…_borrowed _during her days as a Sith Acolyte. They painted a very interesting picture.

Zash had been obsessed with the ancient Dark Lord Tulak Hord, even going so far as having her apprentice free Hord's pet monster from stasis. The five objects of power that Zash sought were described in detail in texts that Avaryss had translated. Hord had used those artifacts to focus his powers during his invasion of the Dromund system. They were most impressive toys to be sure.

Yet…in the end, they had not been enough, not for what Zash had needed.

Keera frowned.

Poor Zash, she had always been too arrogant for her own good.

A ritual of essence transfer, like most Sith spells, required both power and will. Considering what Keera was seeing, and knowing what had become of Zash had become, she could make several conclusions.

One, the artifacts were not strong enough to accomplish what Zash had desired. At the moment of essence transfer, a dark lord was supposed to release a wave of dark side energy upon their new body; this was done for two reasons, the first to prepare the new body to receive the dark lord's spirit, to prime it, and to aid in the bonding of flesh and soul.

The second reason was to obliterate the spirit of the body's original occupant. The energies unleashed would destroy the spirit and will of the host, leaving the flesh an empty vessel ready to receive its new owner.

Zash had underestimated her apprentice. Nox had proven stronger; he had not been destroyed by the energy, but turned it to his advantage. When Zash's original body had perished it had found no willing host, Nox was closed off to her, and she had taken the next best thing, his willing slave.

It might have served her well had the Deshade not been bound to his master.

Keera leaned back in her chair, thinking.

Zash had been a fool.

She could not afford to be one herself.

She did not consider tracking down Tulak Hord's toys. She had no idea if they survived the ritual, and if they had; they were likely locked away somewhere safe, somewhere where only Darth Nox could get at them.

No, she would not be able to use the spell that Zash had attempted, and would not have tried if she could.

No, she would use elements of Zash's spell, but in the end she would turn to Naga Sadow's method, it was not only safer, but also more certain.

All she had to do now was gather the components, and in her place as Inquisitor, she had easy access to the most essential one.

She contacted Gravid Sachuff, the Hutt Cartel's man here on Oridanna, his holo shimmered as the two conversed. He had been surprised by her call, and seemed a bit nervous to see her smiling face.

_Good,_ Avaryss thought.

_Let him squirm right from the start._

Keera almost laughed, she couldn't agree more.

"I require a large number of…_resources_ for a project that I'm working on," she informed the slave master. "The strongest and healthiest you could manage would be best."

Sachuff was a scarred human, ugly both in feature, and in the Force.

He grinned at her, showing his yellowed teeth.

"Resources are my stock and trade, my lord," he said, "How many will you require for the completion of this project?"

"One thousand, at least."

The man whistled.

"A high number indeed, my lord," he said, "It might take some time to acquire that many. There are always more workers, but to find those unattached, with few ties, might be…"

Keera smiled.

"By unattached, I assume you mean not having families? People that might ask what happened to them"

The man shrugged.

"Labor projects favored by the Sith tend to be…"

"I'll take them all," she said quickly.

The man paused.

"My lord?"

"Attachments don't matter, not to me, men, women, and children, as long as they are healthy and strong, it doesn't matter. Time is of the essence."

The man's brow furrowed.

"Children?" He said, "For a labor project?"

His brow furrowed.

"What kind of project is this, exactly?"

She glared at him.

"The kind that is none of your concern," she growled, "I need bodies, and I will need them soon."

She gave him an evil smile.

"If you can't meet my needs, please tell me now, we will discuss the matter further over dinner. I will remember to bring my scepter."

The man blanched.

"There is no need for that, my lord," he assured her, "I merely bring up the fact that such a large purchase will be noticed, I assume that you wish to keep this matter confidential."

"Of course," she replied.

"I'll see what I can do," he promised, "It will be expensive, confidentiality can be very expensive."

"I can afford it," she said with a grin, "Just get to work, and see what you can find, report back to me as soon as you can."

"It will be done, my lord," he promised, "Will you require security to enforce your will during the project?"

"Only for delivery," she answered, "Once the resources are in their quarters they won't be a problem at all."

She smiled at his curious look again, imagining how it would feel to stand behind him with a scepter in hand. She wondered what it would soon like to strike him again and again, to feel the warmth of his life spray on her face and hands.

She was extremely tempted to find out.

The Hutt's man asked a lot of questions.

Questions could be expensive too, or perhaps, costly was a better word.

Fatally costly.

He promised to look further into the matter for her, his holo vanished with the promise of having a price for her soon.

She agreed to hear it, provided that the merchandise was to her liking.

_It was all about power after all._

She smirked.

She was _**not**_ Zash. She would not waste her time searching for Sith artifacts and places of power. Naga Sadow had found a cleaner way to power his spell, a simpler way.

It was all in his writings.

The souls of a thousand would serve the one. Sadow had recognized the value of sacrifice, to ensure his survival; he knew that he could not be timid.

This was no mere spell, it was blood magic, and only death could pay for new life. The Force energy released by a thousand souls would be more than enough to scour her new body clean, and allow her to settle in without a problem.

Yet, it would be expensive, Keera thought; people might ask questions about what I spent all the credits on.

_Who cares_, Avaryss said, _it is __**our **__wealth after all. We will spend it the way we please._

Keera smiled.

Maybe…we don't have to."

Her smile turned predatory.

Why bother buying lives when we can simply take what we need. Yes.

A shiver ran down her spine.

She had the **BEST** idea!

She would need to make some alteration to the bomb shelters here on Oridanna. Pick out the settlements which had the heathiest populations.

It wouldn't be hard, the Sith kept go records of their people. She would put Bleez on it immediately.

They would need to perform a bomb drill; they had not done one in a while. She would not be available of course, Sith matters would keep her busy.

A chill ran down Keera's spine.

A thousand innocent Oridannans would go into the shelters, eagerly awaiting their chance to aid in the war effort, eager to help their inquisitor, a fellow Oridannan, protect the world.

They would go in willingly, that willingness would make things even better! The energy would be purer…stronger!

A thousand would go in, and a wave dark side energy would flow out, all for her.

It would be perfect!

It would be…delicious!

_What,_ Avaryss thought, Keera could sense her horror.

_Keera? What are you thinking?!_

I'm thinking of giving our people a chance to serve me. They should be grateful for the chance!

_Haven't you taken enough of our people's lives? That passenger transport was enough. We have done enough to our own people._

Keera almost laughed.

"I'm surprised to find you squeamish; that was NEVER your reputation."

_They are our people_, Avy reminded her.

"They are mundanes," Keera spat back, "they exist to serve the Sith, they exist to serve me."

Keera rolled her eyes.

"And you always said that I was the weak one," she murmured.

She looked into the reflection in her desk; she could see Avy glaring at her.

"They are our people, she repeated, "Do you truly want to rule over an Empire of corpses?"

Keera sighed.

Didn't Avy understand?

They were no longer simply servants of the Empire, she had discovered that during this most enlightening of missions.

A Darth is death incarnate, and death takes life indiscriminately.

Should she not endeavor to do the same?

Sacrifice a thousand, to save billions.

She would bring order, justice, and security to the Empire, to HER Empire.

Was that not a fair trade, and as the slave master said.

_There were always more workers._

The realization amused her.

It seemed the more she drank from the well of the dark side, the less bound by the rules of the Empire she became. Power washed away such drivel; she did not need scruples to protect her people.

As Keera grew in power, Avy remained as she had been. She tried to be the good imperial, unwilling to do what needed to be done when it came to their people.

_A foolish sentiment_, Keera thought.

I mean just look at the mundanes. Their lives were so tiny; they were but specks of dirt beneath her feet. When she did successfully manage to take a new body, she would be something far more than what she was now. She would have transcended the weakness of flesh and morality, for that one brief sweet moment she would be part of the dark side. She would be energy in its purest form, a form that would be poured into her new vessel.

I will cease to be Keera after that. Keera Lylos' body will be gone, used up, but I will remain. I will become…something else. I will transcend, and become a being of superior ability and power. I will be something that even my master could not oppose.

To slip the bonds of flesh, I will no longer be a mere Sith.

In that moment…I take my first step to becoming a god!

The thought made her smile.

Avaryss the Divine, why shouldn't her people help her rise to such a level? In that moment she would help them out of their boring existence and they would be a tool for her greatness.

It would also help her slip the chains of her own boredom, protecting these people…these…mundanes, it was beneath her.

They were so limited.

_So, you find your duties boring, and would kill to eliminate that boredom_, Avy responded.

_Don't you hear yourself? Don't you know who you sound like?_

Keera frowned.

Don't you dare go there!

_Why, it is true! You sound like Feer's pawn! You sound like the enforcer that killed our family! Do you believe that the man was right now? Do you think that our family deserved to die?!_

**IT IS NOT THE SAME!**

_Why not?!_

My parents gave birth to me?! They were beyond the common rabble. They were…

Her door chimed.

She glared angrily as she dismissed her files, not wishing anyone to see what she was doing.

_Who dares_, she thought, _I'm busy, __**working!**_

"Yes," she hissed into the communicator.

"Bael Feer to see you, my lord," the guard in the hallway informed her.

The voice belonged to Mess.

She hissed, angered by the interruption.

She should have told the fool she did not wish to be disturbed!

She had hoped that it would have been Synestra to come to her first. She had figured that the woman would wish to speak with her daughter.

Keera shook her head.

She had no time to deal with the little fungus right now!

_He is Sadi's apprentice_, Avy reminded her; _we have to deal with him, for the moment at least._

She could imagine her other self's cold judging gaze, those red eyes blazing with frigid intent.

_You are not a god yet, Keera. We still have to keep Sadi happy, at least for now._

Keera took a deep breath and breathed it out. Much of the rage she felt went with it.

She needed to maintain control.

She was a Dark Lord of the Sith.

Her rage served her, not the other way around.

She put on a smile and asked for her guards to admit her guest.

The door opened and her master's son entered.

He did not look happy.

"Lord Avaryss," he said professionally, trying to look down upon her with cold imperious eyes.

The show amused her.

Bael was so far beneath her now, and he didn't even see it.

She had outgrown what she had once been.

It was a pity that he had not.

"My master orders you to release, Trade Minister Moor," he said trying to appear commanding; "She wishes to speak with him herself."

Keera sneered.

"Moor is a traitor," she reminded him, "His suffering has only just begun."

She shook her head.

"I cannot release him, not until he tells me all that I wish to know."

Her master's son glared at him.

"You are here to assist Lord Sadi," he reminded her, "You are sworn to obey the will of the Lord of the Itae system."

His eyes narrowed, as if he was trying to appear more dangerous. How laughable of him, she thought.

"Sadi has the ear of _**your**_ master, **my** father, you will obey."

The fact that he thought he could order her around was cute, but it was also annoying.

She would love to go against him and see exactly what it was that he was made of.

She was tempted, oh so very tempted.

Yet, again, she recognized the need to keep up appearances. Sadi would fall, but she needed to be patient.

She could wait, she had to.

Keera smiled.

"I would think that you would be more interested in seeing what was left," she purred, "I made a recording of the interrogation, for record purposes only…of course.

She gave Bael a sly wink.

"Would you like to see it? The man has suffered…most…gloriously."

She could see Bael consider her offer, Sadi may have bound him with her powers, but the sadistic little rodent he had been was still in there.

She was not above playing to that side of him, not if it distracted him from what she was doing, what she was planning to do.

Bael licked his lips, she could sense his desire, but also that he was resisting it.

Pity, she would have loved to given him a tour of the former Trade Minister's suffering.

"My master is most disappointed in you, Avaryss," he said coldly, "She thought you were her friend."

Careful, Avaryss warned her.

Keera's smile faltered, she let a look of concern creep across her features.

She still needed to play the game, keep Sadi blind to her ambitions.

"I…I never do anything to jeopardize my friendship with her lordship," she said, looking frightened for the first time, "You…you will tell her won't you Bael? You will let her know that I still desire her regard?"

Bael sneered.

"I will make sure to mention it," he said dismissively, "In the meantime, you should really consider releasing Minister Moor; my master commands it."

"It will be done," she promised, "Thought, he is no longer fit or worthy to remain in his post. I fear the interrogation was a bit much for him, the poor dear."

She managed a weak smile.

"Fortunately, your sister more than able to carry out his duties, in my role as Inquisitor, I've already named her as Moor's successor, she will serve us well."

Bael frowned.

"I still don't understand how my sister got involved in all this? What is her connection to you? Why have you offered her such a post?"

"I will explain everything when I speak with your mother and father," she promised, "After all, her survival was always meant to be my gift to them, a show of fidelity, if you will."

She grinned.

"She is currently gathering her things at one of my private estates; she will be back, shortly, if you wish to speak with her."

"Perhaps," Bael said, "My master will most definitely wish to speak with her, to make sure that she is up to the task of what you propose."

"Of course," Keera replied, "I will send her to meet with Sadi, as soon as she arrives."

But only after she has been properly prepared and warned about the Dark Lord's powers, she thought to herself. She had no desire to see Cynn turned into yet another pawn of the Lord of the Itae system.

"I will send word for Moor to be released," she promised Bael, "Though he must still remain under house arrest until we can determine if he is a rebel sympathizer or not."

She smirked.

"I'm sure that your master can accept my caution, it is all for the good of her rule, after all."

"I will inform her," he promised, "Thank you, Avaryss for being so…agreeable."

"It is my pleasure," she said bowing her head, "Do make sure that Sadi know that I want no hard feelings between us."

"She will know, he promised her, "she will make sure that you get everything that is coming to you, and more."

Keera smiled.

Was that a veiled threat?

Oh dear.

Bael really wasn't good at being subtle.

Sadly, his chance to learn it was running out, and far faster than he realized.

She looked forward to the day that she could teach him that lesson, his FINAL lesson.

He left without another word, back to see his master, back to reassure her that her plans continued without interruption.

Keera reactivated her holo pad, returning to the business of her preparing for her resurrection.

She has so much to do, and there was so little time.

She was so focused that she almost ignored the alert on her data pad, she had been engrossed in a treatise on the preparation of crystals to aid in the transfer of life, when it came in.

She frowned.

Apparently the rebels had managed to slice the Imperial holonet again.

They were broadcasting a new message, more threats she supposed.

She sighed, and brought up the transmission, eager to see what they thought was so important.

As it turned out she was glad she did.

Her whole life changed in that moment.

The image flickered revealing a familiar masked face, his features all but hidden behind the helmet's mirrored face plate.

Tahl Moritza.

"Innocent lives continue to be threatened," the rebel firebrand declared, "Again the Empire seeks to destroy us, to break our spirits and bend our wills to their own."

Moritza moved in closer, his face plate filling the holo-field.

"Darth Avaryss, Dark Lord of the Sith, you have harmed your own people for the last time. We…the soldiers and voices of liberation oppose you with our blood and our very breaths. Your war on your own people ends now."

Keera sneered at that.

What did the fool think he was going to do?

So far he had danced to the tune she had called. He had made himself as many enemies here on Oridanna as he had allies.

She did not fear him, or his manipulations.

She had this war well in hand.

"You will answer for your crimes, Lylos," Moritza spat, "Your cruelty will now be visited on someone who deserves it, what you should be suffering will be dealt upon one that shares your blood. Her suffering will be your suffering."

Keera frowned.

What was the masked fool talking about?

Shared her blood?

Had the fools kidnapped Beric, she was about to try and contact him when the image changed, it showed a person strapped to a table, clad in ragged clothes, their hair long and matted.

Keera froze.

Wait, she thought, what in the Emperor's name…?

She blinked unsure of what she was seeing.

Tahl Moritza appeared in the image, he pushed back the dirty brown hair, revealing a familiar face, a face that…that couldn't be…

No, Keera thought.

It was impossible!

NO!

The face was so familiar; she was…staring into the eyes of a ghost.

It was young girl, fourteen maybe, perhaps fifteen years old. The right side of her face was pocked with burn scars, one of her eyes were pale and dead, her mouth turned slightly down, pulled into a misshapen grimace by the burn scars.

Despite the damage, Keera recognized her, she…she knew that face.

It was impossible, it should not have been, but…but…

It was there.

"Keera," the girl on the holo whimpered.

"Help me."

Keera blinked, she was so shocked that Avy took over without a hint of resistance.

The dark lord glared at the holo.

"Talitha?" she whispered, "Keera, that girl…she looks like Tali! She looks like our little sister!"

"Can't be, Keera said from her place in the back of their mind.

Talitha Lylos was dead, she…she felt her sister die. She died with Mother, Pamir and Anj, years ago.

Yet, what she was seeing, said otherwise.

Avaryss swallowed hard.

She had not thought that the rebels had anything to threaten her with.

She was wrong.

Talitha Lylos, her little sister was alive. She was alive and a prisoner of the rebels.

In that moment, the dark lord's world changed.

The day of days had come.

Avaryss froze the hologram, looking at her little sister's burnt face.

She frowned.

"You wish to play with me, Moritza?" she hissed, her voice dripping with venom, she imagined the rebel's head on a pike, his skin flayed from his body.

The image excited her.

_He has Tali,_ Keera gasped, _she is alive somehow. The rebel filth has her, he has our little sister!_

_What are we going to do?_

Avy smiled.

"And now," she purred evilly.

"We play."


	52. Family

**Chapter 52: Family**

"_My…my name is Talitha…Talitha Lylos. My…my parents were Andur and Mya Lylos."_

Keera watched the hologram closely, trying to sense any form of trickery or deceit.

Sadly, there was none to be found.

She felt…nothing.

_Talitha_, she thought to herself, memories of her little sister rose up like a tidal wave, washing away her capacity for rational thought.

Talitha, the engineer of the Lylos family; she had always been taking things apart and putting them back together again; her room had been filled with droids and tools that she had been tinkering with.

The memory haunted her older sister, but also gave her hope, hope for the future.

_She is alive_, _my little sister __**still **__lives._

It should have made her happy, but it didn't.

Hope abandoned her quickly.

Any joy that should have come with the realization that her sister still lived faded; she was not one to hide, even when faced with the most uncomfortable of truths.

Yes, her little sister was alive, and she was now in the hands of the rebels.

Talitha was a prisoner of Tahl Moritza.

That thought gave her pause, filling her with both rage and dread.

She continued to watch the holo, her poor sister bound to the floor like some kind of animal, her face scarred; the result of the blast that had taken the rest of their family, no doubt.

But how, the dark lord wondered, _how did __**she**__ survive?_

_Talitha __**died**__, I know she did! I __**felt**__ it! I…_

Keera took a shuddering breath.

She needed to remain calm, calm was better at a time like this.

There would be better time to unleash her rage.

She would not let it loose until then.

Her eyes returned to the holo, to her sister, the girl whimpered as she shied away from the camera, clearly pained by her chains.

"Keera," she said, "If…if you can see this…they…they tell me that you are alive, that you're safe."

Tears ran down her little sister's face.

"Help me, Keera, please…help me."

Her little sister vanished, her face replaced with the helmeted visage of Tahl Moritza, the rebel firebrand stood before the holocam, his, or her, features masked by the helmet that had become the rebel's trademark.

"Listen well, apprentice of Darth Feer. The crimes you have committed against our people are many. You continue to try to grind Oridanna beneath your heel, while hiding behind a mask of order and security."

Moritza leaned in closer; you could almost make out the features hidden behind the blast shield, almost, but not quite.

"You have turned our peaceful resistance into a bloodbath; you and your foul master will answer for what you have done. Soon we, the brave soldiers of liberation, will emerge from the shadows, and you Keera Lylos will answer for your many transgressions. You will pay…dearly for what you have done to our people."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Moritza's accusations meant nothing to her.

She knew what _**she **_had done, and she knew why everything that she had done had been necessary.

She paused the holo again, staring at the helmeted face, the face of the resistance.

The face she had to tear asunder.

_You know nothing, fool_, she thought.

_If anyone is to blame for my actions, it is Tahl Moritza and the rest of the rebellion. They made tearing down the old order necessary. Can they not see that what I'm doing is for their own good? The sacrifices that I've asked of my people have all been for MY people, for the greater good. It had not been an easy decision, but she had made it. She had forced herself to live with those choices, to embrace any shame or guilt, and turn it into strength, to be strong for her people, for them, above all._

As for the deaths she had caused, they had all been necessary, part of the plan; the death of a few to save the lives of the many.

She glared into Moritza's visage, wishing that he was here.

Keera sneered evilly.

_I'm going to enjoy killing you, worm_, she thought, _the dark side will crush that helmet around your features, the face place will crack, and shatter and I will shove the shards into your eyeballs. You will know the most painful of torments before the end, and in that moment you will kneel before me and you will beg for mercy, and find that I have none._

The thought made her smile.

_You will die…squealing._

She took a shuddering breath; the fantasy of Tahl Moritza's death warmed her, but did little to make such a dream a reality.

_Now the real work would have to begin._

_Now…they would have to find the man._

She looked up at those she had assembled, her allies, trusted investigators all. Warmaster Bleez had spent the weeks that they had been here building up a network of informers and agents, soon those agents would be deployed against the rebels to try and find out where her little sister was being held

The dark lord hoped that those agents would be successful, for their sakes.

While Bleez worked in the shadows, Magistrate Hissa would work the official channels. Keera could not say how her sister had survived the fire that claimed the rest of her family years ago, but if she had, if the images were truly her.

She hoped that Hissa and his men would discover what had happened, how she survived, and how she remained hidden all these years, finding that out might just give her a clue, an idea how the rebels had managed to get their hands on Tali, and what they could do to get her back.

Hissa had pledged himself to her service, now he had to prove himself worthy of her patronage.

Hopefully, the man was not all talk.

Next to Hissa stood Ro and Beric, the two men in her life that she could say that she truly loved. Both her lover, and her brother, had a vested interest in finding out what had happened. They had both known Talitha, and knew what her life meant to her older sister.

Plus, Ro had investigated the deaths of her family; she hoped that he would be able to shed some light on what had happened. True, he had aided in the lie that had hidden her family's true fate from the rest of the Empire, but in this she did not blame him.

He did what he could within reason. She hoped that he would do so again.

Beric was here because, well…because he was her brother, and Tali's brother too.

Family was family; you didn't turn your back on it.

The two of them would find her, if she still lived, and…

…they would make those who took her pay for what they had done.

_Still,_ she thought with a frown.

_She didn't like what she was sensing from Beric, she felt anger…accusation?_

Her frown deepened.

They would need to talk about this. This was not her fault; she had not even realized that Talitha was alive.

She would make this right.

Keera leaned back in her chair; she wound back the message until Talitha's face appeared before her again, her eyes pleading for help, begging her big sister to do something.

She would not disappoint her, the dark lord was bound and determined to make sure that her sister was found and returned safely to the capital.

She would go to any lengths to ensure that that outcome came to pass.

She would not hesitate. She would show no mercy!

I will find you, she promised the image, and I will get you back, even if I have to destroy half the planet to do so!

She turned to her servants, they had work to do.

"Is there anything else," she asked them, "Was there anything else included with this holo?"

"The package did contain a note on flimsy," Hissa informed her, "The message said that instructions would follow."

Hissa frowned, his anger radiating.

"I would not be surprised if the scum tried to use this to force you to negotiate with them, my lord. Perhaps, they believe that this gives them leverage over you."

_Perhaps, it did_, she thought, _family was family, after all, but…_

She had thought she had had everything under control. She had believed that the rebels had nothing that they could threaten her with. She thought that the end of the rebellion was near, and now…this.

_I will not negotiate_, Keera thought_, I will find where these Hutt spawn are keeping my sister, and I will destroy everything and everyone they love for this outrage! They think they have me, that they can inflict pain…_

…_**They didn't know what pain was!**_

She turned to Ro, her expression cold; she would accept no lie or omission at this point.

"You investigated the deaths of my family. Did you find anything to suggest that anyone survived? Did you find any clue that hinted at that?"

"We found no bodies within the wreckage," he reminded her, "the fires had burned too hot, and the explosion was too large. We found traces of ash, organic residue, but that was it."

Ro Wilkes sighed.

"As I mentioned to you once before, my lord, the only reason I suspected that _**you **_survived was because yours was the only body we thought we found. Beyond that, the investigation closed up quickly, the Imperial Mission had signed off on what they had seen, and that had been enough."

Keera brow furrowed.

The Imperial mission.

She…she had not thought about the mission. Yes, a missionary had been there that night. After all, that was how she had ended up on her way to Fury 9.

She nodded thoughtfully.

She would need to speak with someone from the mission. Hopefully the missionary that had travelled to the Lylos farm was still there. She would not accept a simple recorded interview, or statement, she was not some local peacekeeper.

She was a Dark Lord of the Sith. The mission would tell her everything, and Emperor help them if they left anything out.

She gave Ro a grateful look, he nodded, understanding what that look meant.

She did not blame him for Talitha. She sensed no deception from him. He had been caught off guard by this as well.

He had missed nothing,

.She found herself thinking about her mother, her spirit. Why had she not warned her daughter? Why had she not simply come out and told her that Talitha was alive, and needed help?

Keera had no answers.

It didn't make any sense.

She was starting to believe that there was more going on than she could see. More and more she was starting to think that this rebellion was about more than the grievances of her people. Someone was moving pieces from the shadows, playing the Empire and the Rebellion against each other.

Who this person was, and what their agenda was, she could not say, not yet, but she would find out. She was determined to find out.

"I want my sister found," she snarled coldly, "Speak with your contacts, bring in every rebel sympathizer you can find. You will kick down every door, and do not accept no for an answer!"

"We will not fail, my lord," Hissa assured her, "WE will find Moritza for you."

"See that you do, Magistrate," she said, "Act like your lives depend on it."

She did not need to add the last part of that statement, her servants understood.

Their lives DID depend on the success of this search.

She would accept no failure.

Ro, Hissa and Bleez left, off to carry out her orders. Beric remained behind, she could sense his desire, his need for answers.

She frowned.

Sadly, she had none at that moment. She was in the dark as much as he was.

He waited until the door to her quarters was closed; he was that smart at least. What was needed to be said was not for prying ears.

His eyes were icy when he looked at her, she could feel his sense of anger and betrayal.

She was caught off guard.

_Did he blame her for this? _

"You told me she was dead," he said coldly, "You told me that they were ALL dead?"

"I felt them die," she murmured, her thoughts going back to that night, the pain and anger returning with the memory.

This was not a topic she liked to think about, even after all that had happened; it was still a sensitive subject.

It was one part of the past that she didn't like to dwell on.

He sneered and began to pace, she watched him closely, unsure what to make of all this.

_Did he think that she felt nothing about this?_

_Did he think he was alone in his pain?_

_Talitha was her sister to, after all._

_She was as angry about this as he was._

"Speak plainly, brother," she ordered, "Let there be no secrets between us."

He laughed at that.

"No secrets," he spat, "Are you honestly going to tell me that you aren't still keeping things from me?"

"I told you once before, any secrets that I keep are for the good of the Empire. I don't seek to hurt you. We are blood…family."

"So is Tali," he hissed.

"You honestly think that I knew that she was still alive? You believe that I hid this from you?"

"I wouldn't put it passed you. I've seen what you can do, Keera. I've seen you do the impossible."

She shrugged; she would not deny his statement.

"The dark side is strong in me."

"And yet, for all your power, you didn't have the clairvoyance to see what was happening to our sister, that she was still alive. Who knows what she has gone through in the last five years? Who knows what she had to endure?

Keera said nothing.

What could she say?

She merely watched her brother, her features all but hidden by her raised hood.

He **does **blame me, she realized, and in that moment her rage filled her up.

_How dare you brother!_

_How DARE you?!_

"If you were as great and powerful as you claim to be, Talitha would never have been lost! We would have found her years ago, but no. You had to play your power games throughout the Empire, carry out your master's orders. Acting like the good little war hound that you are. You never even thought about this place did you? If we had not been forced to come back here, you would never have even attempted it would you? You were happy to leave our people to their fates; you never cared a bit for them. You never…"

He paused mid-rant; he found himself starting into her eyes; the room had taken on a strange purple glow.

It took Keera a moment to realize what was causing it, what was going on.

The glow was coming from her; her eyes were ablaze with violet fire, glowing like a pair of binary stars.

She looked upon her brother with a cold empty blank stare.

It was as that moment he realized his mistake.

Keera sensed his anger turn to fear.

She smiled.

Yes, she thought.

That is the proper reaction!

"Sister," he said quickly, "I…"

She had heard enough.

She raised her right index finger.

YAAAAARGH!"

Beric collapsed, brought low by the power of the dark side; he was thrown down so hard that the items on Keera's desk shook.

He hissed with pain as she dragged him across the floor, his face skidding on the tiles of her quarters, tearing skin and making him bleed. He ended up at her feet; he could have licked her boots if she desired it.

She was almost tempted to make him do just that.

She felt him struggling, but she didn't permit him to rise. She was almost too angry for words.

Almost.

She sighed.

"Ric," she said in a cold silky voice, "I love you. I truly do, but I must admit, this new attitude, I do not find it appealing."

She stared down upon him, she sneered as he struggled against her power, a fly caught in a spider's web.

His struggles amused her.

_Such is the fate of all mundanes_, she thought.

_Most are beneath my notice, I had thought Beric was different, but…_

She was starting to reevaluate that decision.

When Keera had first freed herself from Avy's control, she had been ecstatic, eager to reclaim her life, and happily embraced her brother, free to show him affection for the first time.

Now, she understood Avy's coldness towards him. Despite his blood, he was still a mundane, limited by the Force.

Those limitations were starting to show through, she didn't like it, not one bit.

She leaned over so that he could hear her; she wanted to make sure that he understood.

"I'm sorry about Talitha, had I known she was alive, I would have returned sooner, brought her back into our lives, but I didn't know. I thought she was dead. I felt her die. I thought that I felt her die.

She thought back to that night, feeling the pain again, it was like cutting into a wound that had only just begun to heal.

Hatred gushed forward like black blood.

Tali, she thought, she had almost escaped that night, if she had just been a little quicker…

Keera remembered sensing Talitha getting the door to her room open. Their little sister was always so smart, always fixing machines and droids she had found. Their parents used to punish her by taking her tools away, so she could not tinker with whatever machine she had come across.

That night, Tali had still had some tools in her room, she had managed to the get the door open, despite being sealed in by Feer's Sith troopers, she had still made it into the hall when the bomb rigged to her door detonated, and then…nothing.

She had felt Talitha wink out in the Force, she had been dead, at least, that is what it had felt like, but had she truly sensed her sister's death, had she?

_I was so young, she realized, young and inexperienced; my powers were only just awakened. It is more than possible that I didn't understand what I was feeling that night. I could have made a mistake. _

She looked down at her brother, his struggling form.

"I made a mistake," she confessed, "As strong as I am; I'm not all powerful or all-knowing, not yet."

Keera smiled.

"You need to trust me, Ric."

She finally let go of him, he lay at her feet, panting.

He looked up at her with angry eyes.

"You keep telling me that, but all you do is hide things from me. All you do is make your plans, and not tell me about them."

She shook her head.

"I really do not see where this hostility is coming from. When we first started working together you were so much more in control, you were a lethal weapon at my command; you understood how and why I worked, but now…now…

She sneered.

"What has changed, brother? Tell me?"

He rose unsteadily to his feet; he was glaring defiantly at her.

"What do you want me to say, Keera? You have made a lot of promises, and not come through on any of them. You promised to save our world, but things continue to get worse. You promised me that you would avenge our family, and yet your lying filth of a master still lives. "

"I asked you to be patient," she reminded him.

"Patience runs out, eventually, sister."

"It does indeed, brother," she said glaring right back at him.

They were both angry, both ready to lash out at each other.

Surprisingly, it was Avy that spoke up in his defense.

"_You need to take a step back, Keera,"_ her other self said.

"_Why? He doubts me? He questions my authority!"_

"_And who do you think gave him the strength to do this? Where is this courage coming from?"_

She considered that.

She gave her brother an evil smile.

"This is about Xen, isn't it?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" he hissed.

Her smile didn't falter, though her eyes did turn colder, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.

"Do you honestly think that Xen could oppose me? Do you honestly think your little whore is strong enough to oppose me?"

"Be careful, sister, don't call Xen…"

"_**I'll call my apprentice what I wish,"**_ she snarled, "Do you think that the two of you are strong enough to oppose me? Do you think my sickness has left me vulnerable?"

She rose from her chair, and got up in his face.

"I only told you about what was happening because I needed you to understand. I may be sick, but I'm still strong enough to put both you and Xen in your place. If the two of you think you can just knock me off and seize control of my house, you are gravely mistaken!"

Beric blinked; perhaps he realized that this was no longer a conversation between siblings.

The dark lord was coming out, and she was not happy with her Captain.

"We've never betrayed you," he said, "Xen is loyal to you, just as I'm loyal to you."

"Loyal," she hissed, "Is that what you call it? She is a former Jedi, brother. She killed one master already; do you think she would not kill me if it suited her?"

Keera shook her head.

"Perhaps I've been too gentle with dear Xen; perhaps she needs a lesson in respect. She should have known better than to start bedding my dear brother."

Her smile returned a predator's smile, the grin of a shark.

"I will let you watch as I discipline her. Perhaps you need to learn this lesson too. If you are conspiring against me...?"

"We are not conspiring against you," he shot back, "Keera stop. You're being paranoid!"

"Am I…am I really?"

She was tempted to lash out at him again. She wanted to use the Force. She would pin him in place as she summoned Xen. He would not be able to move, or speak. He would have to lay there and watch as she punished her apprentice for her treason.

It would be…agreeable, it would be fun.

It would be…be…

She shook her head.

_What was she doing?_

She backed away, feeling like she had been hit in the head.

_What…what am I doing?_

She looked at her brother.

She felt fear, worry; he knew what she could do to his lover if she was so inclined.

If he was willing to lash out at her now, it was because he wanted to protect his woman. She understood that, she could even accept his reason.

She took a deep breath and tried to center herself, it was…harder than it used to be.

She looked at him. She could see his fear.

_He was not some random traitor._

_He was her brother._

_She loved him._

_He was family._

You _**didn't **_betray family, Ric knew that

She knew that.

"Sister?" he said, "Are you…are you alright? Should I summon Doctor Vrann?"

She shook her head no.

She took another deep breath.

_She had to focus._

_She had to remember who her enemies were._

Tahl Moritza, and Darth Feer, they were her enemies.

She would deal with both, soon enough.

"Ric," she murmured, "What is happening? What is becoming of us?"

He blinked, finally seeing through his own anger, realizing how close they had come to tearing what they had apart.

_We are still a family._

_We need to remember that._

"I'm sorry," he said, "I'm…I'm just worried about Talitha, I don't know…know what came over me."

She walked up to him; he started to raise his hands defensively, but didn't need to.

She embraced him, just as she had done when she had first freed herself from Avy.

He put his arms around her; she felt his worry, his love for her.

He is worried about me, she realized. He is angry that I cannot help Tali and he cannot help me.

She is a prisoner, and I'm dying.

No wonder her brother was so tempted to lash out, Emperor knew…she was looking to lash out at someone too, only she would not harm her own in doing so.

She would save her rage for her enemies.

Tahl Moritza would pay for taking Tali.

He would pay!

She pulled away from her brother, feeling a little better.

She took another shuddering breath.

"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked.

She nodded.

"I'm fine now, Ric," she promised him, "But this…this place, coming back here. Coming home has changed things, it has changed me."

She reached out and took his hands in hers.

"I'm _**changing.**_ I can feel it."

"Into what?" he asked.

"I…I don't know," she confessed, "Perhaps, I'm simply becoming what I was always meant to become, the final conversion from mere Sith to Sith Lord. My powers are growing, they have been growing since I left for Mar Shadda."

"And what does that mean for us?" he asked.

She grinned.

"It means that your waiting is almost over. Darth Feer…he will soon answer for what he took from us. First I shall crush the rebellion and rescue Talitha, and then…it will be my dear Sith Master's turn. Years of patience will finally pay off, and we will both be free. All that my master possessed will be mine, and your dear sister will sit on the Dark Council, and from there, the stars are the limit, anything we desire will be ours."

He smiled slightly.

"There is the sister I remember," He said, "I'm…I'm sorry I doubted you."

"And I'm sorry that I hurt you," she said touching his face, it was already starting to bruise from where she had thrown him down.

She regretted that.

She had lost her temper.

She had not wanted to hurt him.

"So what is next," he asked.

"Hissa said the rebels would be sending instructions soon, we will need to wait until then. If Bleez and Ro can find them in the meantime, even better, but for now we must be patient."

"It won't be easy," he said.

"No, it won't be, but we must."

Keera gave him a sly smile.

"It does give me a bit of time to add a new weapon to my arsenal. Taya is coming. She will help awaken the creature that I claimed on Tatooine. It was born of an old…friend of mine. I'm sure that two of us can yoke the creature to my will."

"And if you can't?" he asked.

"Then the creature will die, it will be fodder for Vrann to experiment on, but you need not worry about that, I shall not fail."

She squeezed her brother's hands; the expression on her face was warm.

"We approach the endgame, brother, nothing will stop me now."

She giggled.

"Nothing."

"I'm glad to hear that, sister," he said, "But know…if you do need me."

"If I do, I will call, know that I will."

"I know sister," he said, through the Force he radiated a deep satisfaction.

"I know."


	53. Abomination

**Chapter 53: Abomination**

"Greed is eternal!"

Avaryss smiled as she addressed her servants, her apprentices and enforcers, she had gathered them all together in one of the sealed rooms of the government tower, the room that Vrann had set up to observe the creature that the Dark Lord had taken from Tatooine.

The time had finally come.

It was time to awaken her newest servant.

All the Sith in Danna City were here, with the exception of Bael, Synestra, and Darth Sadi. The Lord of the Itae system had been called away on business, and taken her apprentice with her. Synestra Feer was avoiding her husband's apprentice, and had been since the revelation that she had taken her daughter off of Dromund Kaas. What that meant, neither Keera nor Avy could say, just yet.

It was something to ponder, the fact that she had not heard from her master yet on the matter, even more so.

How would Feer react to the knowledge that not only was his first born child still alive, but in the service of his apprentice? Would he be angry or grateful? He would most definitely understand the threat that the situation could turn into if he provoked Keera in anyway.

Whatever his thoughts were, he remained silent, for the moment. Maybe he didn't want to risk rocking the proverbial boat? Feer had his own schemes on Dromund Kaas; perhaps he didn't seek to see any of those plans put in jeopardy by dealing with his wayward student.

It was also possible that he, like the rest of the Dark Council was tied up dealing with the Revan situation. It was amazing how quickly Darth Revan's reach had extended. It had even managed to reach here.

Captain Kannady had discovered a group of Revanists aboard the Emperor's Wisdom. He had caught then trying to ferment a mutiny, to seize her ship and bring it into the service of Revan and his allies.

What Revan would have done had he gained control of the Wisdom, Keera could not say. Revan was said to be a master tactician, perhaps he would have tried to seize Oridanna for himself, or just used the Wisdom as part of his schemes to create chaos in both the Empire and the Republic.

Those plans had been stopped, thanks to Captain Kannady. The Revanists had been captured and secured, Keera and Colonel Glasc had journeyed up to the ship for the traitors' interrogation, but they gave up nothing, so great was their loyalty to Revan and whatever it was he was trying to accomplish.

The Dark Lord could have sent the men back to Dromund Kaas to face a court martial, but she did not see the point, she was more than able to pronounce sentence herself.

The men had been marched down to one of the ship's airlocks, expecting to be loaded aboard a military shuttle, that is what she had told Glasc and Kannady, just in case there were still Revanist agents on board, she had hoped to smoke out any others by giving them a chance to rescue you their friends, none materialized, sadly. They were either not there, or smart enough to smell a trap.

Regardless she carried out the sentence she intended.

The men stepped into the airlock to find no ship waiting, before they could protest; she hit the door control, sealing it, and blew the outer hatch.

It was a quicker death than the traitors deserved, but it served its purpose.

Many on the Wisdom saw the frozen bodies float away. The point that the Dark Lord had wanted to make was clear.

Revan had no hold here on Oridanna.

This planet, and everyone on it, belonged to her.

She had expected another call from her master; Glasc had been surprised by the ruthless she had been showing of late, it was only a matter of time, until her master heard of it, and made some sort of comment or opinion on the matter.

Yet, she still heard nothing.

It was surprising to say the least.

Regardless, Keera continued on as she had planned, and the next step in the plan was gaining a new servant, a new enforcer. She had destroyed Raze, but had now found his replacement. The Nass-thing, provided that it was intelligent as Vrann believed it was, would serve that role nicely.

It would be another ally that had nothing to do with Sadi or Feer, such a weapon could be most useful if wielded the right way.

The young dark lord hoped that the Chiss was right. She said the creature's brain scans showed signs of human level intelligence; that would be good. Keera had no need for a monster that would not obey orders.

She hoped that the Nass-creature would serve her, once she had been…properly bound.

Today, she would perform the ritual herself, with a little help from her fellows.

Keera stood in the center of a summoning circle she had just sketched it this morning, following the instructions she had found in her studies of Sith sorceries. The binding of a creature born of the dark side to a Sith as master was not difficult, the ancient Sith had practiced the art, and had wrote many texts on the practice, and like other Sith spells it called for both power and will.

As Inquisitor of the Itae system, Keera had both in abundance. Her will was strong, and now, with her servants, she had the power she needed to see this through.

"Forget your earthly wants," she said as she paced before her flock of followers. Dym and Xen knelt before her, listening as their master explained what she wanted, even Necris had come down from the Emperor's Wisdom, offering her master the power she needed to fulfill her desires.

The three remaining enforcers were there as well. Ghull, Gnar, and Chylde were surprised that they had been summoned; they no doubt knew how Keera had been keeping them at arms lengths, which she had been…

Sadi would no doubt hear about this ritual later, she had eyes and ears everywhere, but so what if she did. Once the deed was done, the thing in the tank would belong to Avaryss, it would serve in the tower beside those that now aided in its awakening.

There was nothing that the enforcers could do to hinder the ritual, they were simply here to provide power, if they sought to resist and deny her what was needed, to ruin the ritual, then they would be in for a surprise.

Once she had begun, their own wants would not matter, they would simply be a power source.

They would have no chance for betrayal here, the spell that was about to take place had little to do with the wills of others. The apprentices and enforcers would serve merely as conduits for the dark side, they would be little more than batteries, providing her with the power she needed to complete the spell and bind the Nass-thing to her will.

Sadi could know about what was about to happen, but that was it.

She could do nothing to stop her rival now, nothing.

"As Sith, we are all bound to the dark side, our individuality is **our **strength," the dark lord continued, "but as creatures of the dark side, we are one, we are all part of each other."

She turned to Taya; her friend had arrived only yesterday, but played an important part in this spell.

"Close your eyes now," she said to the other Sith, "reach out and touch the dark side, feel it, give yourselves over to its power, and let it lift you up, let it lift your master up."

Keera smiled.

She could not have said it better herself.

It had taken Taya almost two weeks to finish up with what she had been doing on Ziost, and come here. Two weeks had passed since the rebellion had announced that they had Talitha Lylos as their hostage. So far, the dark lord's investigators had turned up nothing on her sister, but at the same time, the rebels had not taken any steps to use the girl to their advantage.

Keera was not sure what to think about that.

She had spent much time in the last two weeks trying to deduce the rebels' next move. Was Tahl Moritza simply lying low, or was the rebel playing a more subtle game than she could see?

The young dark lord was not sure.

The rebels had sent them no demands, not yet at least, and now, they had all but gone into hiding. Hissa, Bleez and Ro had had no luck in finding Tahl Moritza and his followers. The few dealings the Sith had with rebel forces had been minor skirmishes, and those had involved only Ro's peacekeepers, the young men and women that had sworn to aid Avaryss in dealing with these traitors.

_It is funny, is it not, Keera?_ Avy had asked her other self, _though_ _the rebels continue to fight_ against us, _their every action seems to draw the common Oridannan closer and closer to being the loyal servant of the empire they were before Feer's bungling._

_Interesting, is it not?_

It _**was**_ interesting, Keera could not deny that.

_What was Tahl Moritza playing at?_

She sighed and took a deep breath.

There would be time to think about that later, for the moment, she needed to focus on the spell she was about to cast, and to evaluate how Taya performed in helping her carry it out.

How Taya responded this day would be important, Keera would still need another Sith to carry out the final rites when she transferred her consciousness into a new body. Taya, who claimed have been studying the ancient mysteries, was the most likely candidate to help with that. Their past relationship would serve well in making sure that the other Sith didn't betray her friend in her moment of greatest vulnerability.

Keera once again reached out to her friend through the Force, as always, Taya remained something of a grey Sith. Despite her cunning and ambition, she still maintained strong ties to the light, drawn even deeper on that path because of her love for her husband and daughter. Keera did not fault her friend for those connections; she understood the love between man and woman. She had similar connections herself, both to Fenn and Ro.

Eventually she would need to make a choice between those two connections, which one she would need to nurture as she moved forward. She still believed that Fenn Shadowstone was her endgame, that it would be _**he**_ that would father her children, and help continue the line of her house, despite his Jedi leanings.

She didn't wish to hurt Ro, but hurt would occur if and when she finally drew Fenn back into her life. He had served her well, and that did deserve to be rewarded. Before she was done, Keera would need to come up with a proper reward for her old friend. She hoped that when all was done, they could part as friends.

A bit of pain now, might be better than a lot of pain later. She would do what she could for Ro, she wanted to make sure that he profited from all that he had given her.

_We don't have time to think about this now, Keera_, Avy reminded her, _it is Taya that matters now, is she the one we are looking for, the one that will preserve us, and keep us alive?_

Yes, she realized, Avy was right.

They needed to focus on Taya, make sure that she was ready for what they needed. Her love for her husband might limit her value, but as long as she did what was needed, it wouldn't matter. Her alignment in the light would not matter if she carried out her orders.

Of course, it wasn't just Taya's desire for her husband that bound her to the light; it was her love for her daughter as well. Aya was Taya's whole world; she loved the little girl more than anything. Both Avy and Keera could relate, Avy had agreed to be the child's godmother when she was born, and Keera remained committed to that choice.

_A mother's love was impossible to deny._ In truth, Avy felt it too, she had come to love her godchild, and would have done anything to keep the girl safe, but that could be a problem with what she planned to accomplish.

Love withered the power of the dark side; compassion was a poison to its power. If Taya was to help her friend bridge the gap between life and death and take a new body, she would need to be committed to the dark side, strong and in its sway.

If her friend faltered, even for a moment, all could fall apart. Keera's spirit could be lost in the ether of the Force, either destroyed utterly, or banished to the madness beyond death.

If Taya did not have the commitment and strength to complete the ritual, then Avaryss would have to find someone who did.

It was not a search that she looked forward to, if it came to it.

Her friend _**had**_ thought to bring her daughter along when she came to Oridanna, but thought better of it in the last moment, Oridanna was still a world in rebellion, neither she nor Fimm wished to expose their child to that.

So Fimm had stayed behind to watch her. He had sent his wife off with the promise to look after their little one, happy to play the role of Dad while his devoted wife helped her friend and patron.

Both Taya and Avy were grateful for that, it meant that they would both be able to concentrate on what was about to happen. Taya would have no distractions, which was good.

It would make Keera's job of evaluating her friend's skills even easier.

It was better if she had fewer distractions.

The two stood in the circle together, behind them, in the very center of it, sat the birthing pod that Avaryss had recovered on Tatooine, inside the creature that she had brought back continued to slumber, awaiting the coming of both birth and true life.

One by one, the Sith that served Avaryss began to drop into a meditative trance, guided by their master's words. Dark side energy began to flow into the circle, drawn from each of the Force users outside of it.

Taya turned to her friend with a hungry smile.

"I think we are ready, Avy."

The dark lord nodded.

Taya was right.

They could finally begin.

The two dark lords went to the birthing chamber and began to speak in the tongue of the ancients. Both drew on the energy that was flowing from the apprentices and enforcers around them.

The two directed that energy into the chamber, into the creature within.

_It is time_, Keera thought.

_Now…you shall obey me._

She had considered the possibility of trying to draw Nass's spirit back from the madness beyond death, to place her old friend turned enemy's spirit within the beast, but after some consideration thought better of it.

Nass had betrayed her once, hurt her. What had happened with Fehl was a wound that had never fully healed, even with the death of the one involved. No, the girl did not deserve to return from the realm of the dead, but that didn't mean that she could not be useful.

The spell that Keera was using today was not meant to restore Nass to the world of the living, but to fill the creature's mind with memories and experiences that the long dead Sith had shared with Taya and Avaryss. It was not resurrection, not really, the creature would _**not**_ be Nass, but it would possess some of the memories Nass would have had as a member of the trio of Butcher's Clearing; as well as some of the girl's experiences on Dromund Kaas and Korriban.

According to Dr. Vrann, the Rakatan machine that Inquisitor Chayn had used to give the creature life had already given it some of his daughter's experiences and memories, the device was strange in that way, it not only gave life, but offered a sense of genetic memory as well, perhaps by drawing on the dark side.

The Chiss had no real way to describe it.

What the device created was not a blank slate, but a primed shell ready to give a spirit a second chance at life.

The fact that Chayn had broken the machine in his attempts to bring his daughter back annoyed Avaryss. Had she had access to it, she might have been able to simply grow herself a new body, one already primed to receive her spirit; she would not have needed to find a worthy host. Alas, that was not meant to be.

She could have used her powers, she supposed, Sith magic could have done the same; without the aid of a machine, she could have created a new body with Sith Alchemy, in time, but she sadly did not have the right materials. All the blood and tissue samples she had access to had been taken after she had been infected with Terrog's plague. They were all tainted, tainted and therefore useless.

No, it was a shame, but there was no going back now. Whatever body she took in the next year or so, it would need to be someone new. Both Avy and Keera would need to let go of the past, and stop being Keera Lylos. She needed someone untouched by Terrog, a strong and healthy body ready to receive her spirit.

Dark side energies rippled around her as the spell began to build; Avaryss shook her head as she regained control of her body. She had always had more of a feel for Sith magic, Keera was a gifted warrior, but when it came to the ancient skills, Avaryss was without equal.

We have been distracted, she realized, everything going on around us is blocking our focus. Whether it was the virus in her brain, or simply all that was going on, she needed to put all other thoughts out of her head for the moment, and focus entirely on the spell.

It couldn't fail.

She would not let it fail.

She forgot about herself for the moment, drawing on the past, she thought of Nass and Taya, she thought of the two girls that had aided her in her training. She let those memories flow out into the dark side and into the creature in the tank.

If it is to serve me, it needs to understand why it serves me. The dark side is all.

A shiver ran down her spine as she continued to chant along with Taya, violet colored energies danced around them, the air turned colder as the dark side continued to fill the room, you could see their breath in the air. The powers at play continued to build, drawn to the circle by Avaryss and Taya's will, and the power offered to them by the other Sith that were aiding in the ritual.

The power flowing through her made Keera giddy, she wished she has the strength to hold it in, to store it within her body, and use it to sustain herself, but it was impossible, the energy was too strong and too much.

Her body would never be able to contain it, no matter how hard she tried.

So she let it flow through her, passing into the waiting shell of the Nass-thing.

_Power would bind it to her._

_Power was eternal!_

An excited gasp escaped the dark lord's lips.

Greed was eternal, and what was she if not the Lord of Greed?

The thought excited Avaryss.

My will, she thought.

Is…eternal.

Her body began to rise off the floor; Taya's body began to rise.

The dark side had them in its grip.

_Now was the time_, she thought, she reached out and focused all of her will and strength into the tank.

Now, it would belong to her.

She reached out to the beast inside, letting the dark side fill it up, experience, anger, memory, and power. She forged a chain from the darkside, a chain that would wrap about the things very life, its very spirit.

The beast shuddered in its dreamless sleep.

_It is time,_ Keera thought.

_Awaken…beast._

She cried out loudly as the energy reached its crescendo, the final command to be bound. She had been floating two feet above the ground when she said it, and fell as the energy finally took root. Avaryss fell to the ground, landing on her knees. The power that had flowed through her leaving the dark lord breathless and wanting.

It is done, she thought with a gasp.

It is done.

Avaryss opened her eyes and looked around, her followers were laying on the floor, disoriented by the power of the ritual, and what they had given up to see it completed.

She grinned.

"Well done, everyone," she called out.

"Well done."

Xen regained her feet first; the former Jedi shook her head.

"Wha…what was that?" she asked her master.

Avaryss grinned.

You gave me what I needed," she informed them, "Yu have my thanks for that."

Ghull coughed the misshapen Sith spat on the floor and looked up with both a sense of new respect and fear.

"I could feel your hands at our throats," he said, "My lord… had you held on any longer, you might have killed us."

She sneered at that.

So what? She wanted to say.

What are all of you compared to me? I'm the Lord of Greed."

You all exist to serve me.

"Our master knew what she was doing," Necris spoke up, stopping any fight before it could begin.

"Lord Avaryss is being a loyal lord of the Empire. She would not be wasting our lives in such a way."

Avaryss smiled.

"Necris is right, Ghull," she said with an innocent look on her face.

"I would never sacrifice any of you; you are too valuable to the Empire."

It was a lie of course, but it was one that the other Sith wanted to hear, they wanted to believe it, they needed to believe it.

It was a lie she could tell effortlessly now, because she finally got it, she finally understood!

Avaryss smirked.

The Empire did not matter, none of its people or its lords mattered. They existed for only one purpose, to serve the dark side and its one true master.

The Emperor had worn that crown for almost fifteen hundred years. He had done that because he realized the truth, all life existed to fuel his power.

Feer believed he could manipulate his way onto the throne, but that was not it. Schemes might put him on the throne, but he would never be able to hold it.

Oridanna was the bread basket of the Empire, but even that did not matter to her anymore.

She would leave this world a withered husk if it allowed her to ascend to the throne, she would find other worlds to feed her people, and she would reward those who served her so well that they would never question why she had made the choices that she had.

That must have been how the Emperor first gained control, how he managed to trick his fellow lords to giving up their lives and power so that he could ascend to godhood.

Keera's ambitions were not that high, she wanted the throne, yes, but recognized that she would not be able to take it with her when her time finally came.

No, she didn't want immortality, only the time to begin a dynasty. She would be the mother of Emperors and Empress' and they would all have to acknowledge that she had been the first, the greatest of their line.

It was not the immortality that he Emperor had won, but it would be enough for her.

She would rest on Korriban one day, and be known as the mother of the greatest Sith of all time.

The galaxy would bow, and they would worship her.

The Empire…would be hers, for all time.

She said none of this to her followers of course, they would have sought her insane, instead she played the role of loyal Imperial. She dismissed her servants, telling them to rest, but to be ready when the time came for them to act again.

Avaryss turned to Taya, her friend was positively glowing; the power that she had felt in being part of the ritual had made her hungry for more.

The Dark Lord smiled.

She would be more than happy to offer her friend more.

It would make her stronger for when the time came to aid her friend in finding new life.

The two of them stood before the tank, they could feel the creature's presence within it, dark and malevolent.

"She is dreaming," Taya said with a look of surprise.

"I can sense it."

Yes, her old friend thought.

It is clearly more than a simple blank slate.

The door hissed open, and Dr. Vrann entered, the Chiss had been waiting outside, waiting for the ritual to conclude.

She went to the birthing chamber taking readings with a hand scanner, and then she went to Avaryss herself, scanning the dark lord.

The Doctor leaned in closer, so that only Avaryss could hear.

"You will need another injection, my lord, "Your brain scan is a bit erratic."

"It is just excitement, doctor," she assured the Chiss but promised to come for another injection after they were finished here.

"Is something wrong, Avy," Taya asked.

"Nothing," the dark lord said, "Merely conferring with the Doctor."

She looked into the Chiss' glowing red eyes.

"Open the chamber," she ordered, "It is time for this thing to meet its new master."

The Chiss bowed, and went to the controls on the pod; she entered a series of commands, her fingers moved swiftly pressing buttons and pulling switches.

A red light flashed on the tank as it began to drain, the thing inside shifted in its sleep, the nutrient flow that had been feeding it shut down as the birthing cycle ended, and the monster prepared to awaken for the first time.

Avaryss and Taya stood together, both had their hands on their lightsabers.

_How much of this creature would be their old friend?_

_How much would it remember from the experiences that they had fed it?_

The chamber hissed as the last of the liquid inside drained. Avaryss dismissed Doctor Vrann, just in case the creature turned out to be hostile, and needed to be destroyed.

Both Sith approached the thing inside, the tubes that had been connected to its spine and nose disengaged.

The creature took a wet and shuddering breath, it spat birthing fluid as it tasted air for the first time.

Its wings folded against the grey skin of its back, its spikey red hair was slick against its head. It rolled over as the tanks security protocol kicked in, shackles emerged and pinned its hands and feet.

"Restraints online, Master Avaryss," the chambers droid intelligence informed her.

The dark lord nodded.

""Keep it restrained until we are finished," she ordered.

"As you wish, the pod's computer replied.

Avaryss shook her head.

What had Inquisitor Chayn been thinking?

This…beast was not his daughter reborn. It never could have been.

The creature hissed, and tried to move, its arms pinned to the pod, its wings trapped beneath its back.

Suddenly, it's yellow Sith eyes snapped open. It looked up into the faces of Avaryss and Taya for the first time.

"Do you know us?" Avaryss asked, "Do you remember?"

"Can you understand," Taya added, "Can you hear us?"

The thing looked quickly between the two Sith, but its eyes finally locked onto Avaryss.

A wave of rage and hate roiled through the Force.

"Farm Girl," the monster hissed.

"Once perhaps," Avaryss said, "But no longer."

Taya smirked.

"Hello again, Nass," she said, "How're you feeling?"

The monster bared its teeth and tried to rise; it fought against the restraints, but could not break them.

It struggled to get to Avaryss, if looks could have killed; the Dark Lord would have died in that moment."

"YOOOOOU!" the beast wailed angrily, "You cut off my head! YOU MURDERED ME!"

Interesting, Avaryss thought.

Most impressive.

"I defeated Nass of Dromund Kaas in single combat," the Dark Lord replied, "She is dead. You are not her."

"You were grown from her cells," Taya informed her, "But we needed more than a simple monster, we needed you to have an understanding of what you were, what you feel, those memories you have, they are our gift to you, the means for you to take your place in the Sith Order."

"Monster?" the creature sounded confused, "I'm not…"

It looked down at its clawed hands, the powerful body that it found itself in. Surprise turned to shock, and shock turned to rage.

It hissed again, and glared up at those who had awakened it.

"**What have you done to me?!"**

"Inquisitor Chayn wanted something more than the daughter he had produced. He wanted something stronger," Avaryss answered.

"He altered your cells using both technology and Sith alchemy, Nass. He wanted a new child, something that would surpass the one who had died on Korriban."

Taya grinned slyly.

"He made _**you."**_

Hearing the name of the Inquisitor changed the beast's attitude. It stopped struggling, and seemed almost thoughtful.

"Chayn," it said, "The Lord Inquisitor, _**my **_father."

It looked up at Avaryss again.

"I will kill him for this, for bringing me back like this."

"You need not worry about that," the Dark Lord said, "I already took care him. You are free to make your own choices now."

"You killed him," the creature laughed, "I doubt that."

"Things have changed since you have been gone," Taya said, "Avy is a full Darth now, and you owe her your existence, she was the one who chose to bring you back.

"You're confusing her Tay," Avaryss said, "She is not Nass. She may have our old friend's experiences and some of her memory, but she is something new, something superior."

Avaryss leaned in closer to the beast. She had to give Vrann credit, it was intelligent, and had adapted quickly to what Avaryss and Taya had given it.

It wasn't Nass, but it was of her bloodline.

The thought made Avaryss smile.

It gave her an idea.

"Perhaps you should consider yourself, a sister of girl we once knew, but you are so much more than that. Chayn died without issue, he had no heir, no legitimate one anyway."

The creature wrinkled its nose, much as Nass had done in life, and its features were close enough to the fallen acolyte that her old friends recognized what was happening.

The beast was thinking.

"You're a Darth," it purred.

"I am," Avaryss nodded.

The creature's lips twisted into a smile.

"If my feeble father is dead, then all that he once possessed is now mine by right. I will be able to claim everything that was his."

"You might be able to," Taya agreed, "with the help of two lords."

"Without it, you are just another failed experiment," Avaryss spat, "If you try to go on your own, you will lose. You will be seen as a monster and a freak, and destroyed like any other failed experiment."

"Without our endorsement, you will have nothing," Taya added, "You will be nothing, not even a peasant, you will be something beneath the notice of the lowest of Sith hopefuls."

The Nass thing growled.

"What do you want?"

"Your service, for now," Avaryss informed her, "I reward those that serve me well, and you have a chance to reclaim what is yours. Chayn is dead; it is only fitting that one of his children take over his holdings."

"So I'm your slave," the monster growled.

"An enforcer provided you can prove yourself worthy of that title."

The creature did something then that they did not expect.

It laughed, and looked down at its restraints.

They popped open.

It wailed and leapt into the air before either of them could draw their weapons.

The monster opened its huge wings. It held itself aloft against the high sealing of the room.

Then it dived, its large clawed hands reaching for the dark lord's throat.

It didn't make it.

It stopped in midair, its claws swiping harmlessly before the Darth.

Avaryss grinned.

Again, she was impressed.

The creature had gained an understanding of the Force! It had used its powers to free itself.

Most impressive!

Yet, it was still just a beast, and bound to its mistress.

It roared impotently, unable to touch the dark lord.

Avaryss chuckled.

"You didn't think it would be that easy did you? Now, you will fall down on your knees, filth."

The creature obeyed, it could not resist. The spell that had given it its memories bound it to its new master.

It could no more hurt her than a Deshade assassin could harm the one that it was bound to.

It roared angrily, a terrifying sound to be sure, but in the end, pointless.

It fell silent, its head low, it looked beaten.

Avaryss kneeled before it.

"What is it going to be?" she asked, "Service or destruction, make your choice."

The beast's eyes narrowed hatefully.

"You will regret this Farm Girl."

Avaryss laughed.

"You will address me as my lord, or master, nothing else. You are mine now abomination, get that through your head."

"Serve her well; and you will be rewarded Nass," Taya added, "Avy is your master now."

The thing snarled.

"Not Nass," it hissed, "Nass failed to destroy you, Avy, my lord. When the time comes I shall not."

The thing grinned hungrily.

"You called me abomination? It is not who I am, but it is close."

The creature stood and bowed its head to its new master.

"I am…Abominus," the thing said respectfully.

"And…for now…I'm yours."

Avaryss nodded.

"So nice that you saw sense," she purred.

The dark lord reached onto her belt, she brought something that she had held onto for quite some time, something she had kept aboard her ship in case she ever needed it.

She handed it to the monster, to Abominus.

Her enforcer grinned.

It was the lightsaber that Avaryss had taken off of the original Nass' body. It would have been her weapon had she lived.

Now…it belonged to her successor.

The creature ignited the crimson blade and turned it to the ground and knelt, her wings splayed out behind her in show of submission. The down turned blade, scorched the ground, but message of surrender was clear.

Abominus looked up at her new master.

"What happens now, master," it asked.

"We do what Sith are best at, enforcer," Avaryss said.

"We end a war."


	54. His Toys

**Chapter 54: His Toys**

"_My lord, we have them."_

It was those words that had gotten Avaryss' blood pumping. Her heart pounded with excitement as she readied herself for battle.

She dressed quickly, her battle armor, her black cape with the red lining, even her mask and helmet.

Tonight would be a night of nights!

She could barely contain her excitement, her desire to wash her hands in the blood of her enemies.

She could not keep the shark-like grin from stretching across her face.

At long last, she would end the rebellion on her homeworld. Finally, her blade would taste the blood of Tahl Moritza; the rebel leader no longer remained hidden.

She was ready to end the man's life, _**eager**_ to end it, and it was all because of the actions of the most unlikely member of her entourage.

She almost laughed.

Beric had done it. Her dear brother had done what her most skilled investigators had failed to do. He had not only located Moritza, but learned the rebel's latest scheme. She now had the chance to crush the rebellion in one swift stroke, and all because of the actions of Beric.

She was impressed, she could not deny it.

She was extremely impressed.

It had all been so perfect; it had fallen into her lap like the sweetest of gifts. While Ro, Bleez, and Hissa had been leaning heavily on their contacts and agents, an old friend of Beric's had come to speak to him, an old friend with a most interesting piece of information.

She was understandably intrigued, to be sure.

IOI

The soldier's name was Rance, and he had known Beric since he had first joined the Sith military. The two men had gone through basic training together, with Rance going into special-forces before Ric had, the man had been a talented foot soldier, and with training he had become an even better commando.

Sadly his career had ended before it could truly get going. Bad intelligence and a raid on a suspected SIS compound had cost the man both of his legs, and his right eye. He could have returned to active duty with the proper prosthetics but, unlike her, he lacked the funds to truly remake himself into the fighting machine that he could have been.

As a result, he received an honorable discharge, and had returned home to Oridanna, returned to his family, and the farm that he had grown up on. The artificial limbs offered by the Imperial medical corps kept him mobile, but not much else.

Rance might have drifted into obscurity, had Darth Feer not continued to push the farmers to the limit. The man's military history saved his farm, but he had been forced to meet Feer's new quotas like every other farmer here. The only thing that had kept the man from truly turning against the Empire was his loyalty to that above all; a loyalty that had been reinforced due to his special forces training. He was even willing to tolerate Feer's actions as long as it served the greater good of their people.

That didn't mean that the rebels did not try and recruit him, however. In many ways he was the perfect candidate to join them. He was a former soldier, who should have had an ax to grind.

The Rebels had misread the man's loyalties, and when Beric had sought him out when they first arrived, he had become one of her brother's contacts, and a very useful one, indeed…

…A contact that he had not shared with his sister, something that she took minor offense to.

"Why did you not tell me about this man earlier?" she had asked her brother.

"Because I didn't know about his rebel interests, not at first, anyway; when I first contacted him, I was merely looking into how far that Darth Sadi had got her hooks into the army here, on your orders I might add."

Her brother smiled.

"Afterwards, as we spoke more, I came to realize that I wasn't the only one looking to Rance for help. The rebels found out somehow that he had been _more_ than a common soldier, they had tried to recruit him for his tactical skills, but they were also wary of him, only letting him have a glimpse of their true operations."

"I see," Keera had said, "What changed?"

"Your arrest of Minister Moor for starters, that and the fact you shut down the holding companies that the rebels were using to finance their activities. Our enemies are starting to feel the sting of that loss. The rebel leadership on Oridanna aren't fools, sister. They recognize the fact that you have claimed the initiative from them, and know that they need to strike back hard to regain their momentum. They are counting on Rance, and several others like him, to plan some big attack. That is what he shared with me, and that is how I know that we have a chance to get them all."

She considered that, but was slow to trust.

Nothing this valuable was ever for free!

"And what does your friend want? He must realize that what he is offering is valuable?"

"He wants what any loyal soldier of the Empire wants, he wants to be recognized. He wants to do something relevant for the Empire again, ever since his injury, he has been sidelined. He is eager to win a victory for the Empire again. He was a loyal soldier, and he remains a loyal imperial, despite everything that has happened. He wants to be a soldier again, even if his weapon is now information, he wants to do his part, for his lords and Emperor.

Keera smiled at that.

"The Emperor might be gone, but his lords, particularly, THIS lord," she said gesturing to herself, "Will gratefully reward the man if his information delivers all that he promises."

"It will pay off, sister. I believe what Rance has told me. He claims that he knows where Moritza has been hiding, and if Moritza is there…"

"Talitha might be there, as well," she acknowledged, "The man would not wish to be far from his favorite pawn."

It is more than likely sister," Beric acknowledged, "We could end this fight with a single victory; surely you can't pass that up?"

No, she thought, such an opportunity shouldn't be easily dismissed; only a fool would not jump at the chance, who wouldn't take the chance?

Yet, that…might be the whole point.

Both Keera and Avy weighed what Beric told them, it sounded right, and they sensed no deception from her brother, but still, she was a bit hesitant to move in quickly and strike at her enemies' heads.

What her brother was describing, it was almost _**too **_perfect of a scenario to pass up, and that was also the problem.

The rebels had been so careful up until now. She found it a bit hard to believe that they would throw away all caution at this particular moment, especially if they were as desperate as Beric's friend claimed.

It was possible, but she still felt the need to be cautious.

She had no desire to be caught off guard.

"You've hurt them, sister," Beric continued, "And more to the point, they angered Rance with their attack on that civilian transport, loyal imperials killed for no good reason, and with the attacks on other civilian targets afterward, he is willing to do what is needed to end the rebel threat, once and for all."

She nodded; once again not bothering to mention that the transport had been _**her **_doing, but that didn't matter now; not if what Beric had discovered was true.

She brought both Beric and what his contact had discovered to Magistrate Hissa. According to the wounded commando, the rebels were preparing a massive two pronged attack at Imperial interests here on Oridanna.

They could stop that attack, or use what they learned to turn the rebel strike into the perfect trap, a trap that none of the rebels would be able to escape from.

Knowledge was power, and what they had learned could change everything! If they acted quickly they could turn this rebel raid to their advantage, foil the attack, capture or kill Tahl Moritza, and liberate Talitha….

…and best of all, it would be a victory that the dark lord would have to share with no one. It would be hers and hers alone.

It would be the greatest win of her Sith career, no one would dare doubt her power or prestige after this; she would have all of Oridanna eating out of her hand!

Yet, she was still hesitant, she would still need to make some…assurances before committing her forces to this.

She had been in the middle of preparing those assurances when a servant droid had come to see her in her quarters; she had been annoyed by the interruption, but allowed it when she heard what it was about.

"Lady Synestra Feer wanted to speak with her, and requested an audience as soon as possible."

The request amused the young Sith.

Synestra asked to meet with her, not demanded?

How delicious!

It seemed that the lady had finally learned her place. Keera had been a bit surprised that she was still here, that she had not immediately run back to Dromund Kaas after learning that Keera had her daughter. She had figured that the woman would have gone running to her husband, to get Councilor Feer to demand that his apprentice release their daughter.

It had been a call that both Avaryss and Keera had been expecting, but it had not came, Synestra had remained here. She had even tried to reach out to her daughter, or so Cynn claimed.

The daughter had no interest in what the mother had to say, not that the dark lord blamed the girl. After what Cynn had endured at her family's hands, why would she be interested in anything her mother had to say?

Besides, it was not like Cynn was not busy. The girl was quickly proving to be a great asset, and had already started streamlining the trade operations here on Oridanna, with Dym's aid; she had already removed much of the graft and patronage that Les Moor had allowed openly, credits were again flowing freely into only the Empire's coffers. Eventually, they would be able to see who was worth bribing here, who the Sith needed to keep on their payroll on Oridanna, but for now, Keera was interested only in keeping the Empire's money flowing, and the trade goods that fueled the Empire of course.

She could have made in an order that the girl speak with her mother, but had no desire to alienate her new trade minister.

Still, she was curious about what Synestra Feer had to say.

A quick visit then, Avaryss decided, we shall speak with the woman, and hear what she has to say.

Keera nodded.

Agreed, she thought.

Clad in her battle armor, ready go forth and engage the Empire's enemies, she made her way to where the Lady of House Feer was waiting. She was most eager to hear what she had to say.

The dark lord smiled.

She was actually looking forward to this; it would be nice to hear Synestra Feer squirm for once. She welcomed the chance to lord over her master's wife, and make her feel small.

It had been a long time coming, Synestra had been useful in undermining Sadi's position here, but now it was time to move on to the next stage of her plans, plans that would be greatly accelerated by the fall of the rebels.

One battle at a time, Avaryss reminded her….

Yes, Keera agreed, first Synestra, and then the rebels.

She grinned hungrily.

…One battle at a time.

IOI

She found the lady waiting in a small terraced park on the left side of the main tower. It was a pretty spot in the middle of the Empire's armor and pageantry, a place that government officials could come and enjoy a break from the tedium of their day to day operations.

It was also quite loud out here, the winter winds continued to blow, the wind screens helped, but it was still quite loud. Loud enough to block out any listening devices, the tree under which the lady was sitting would make it hard from any holocam above them to record the meeting that was about to take place.

Keera smiled.

You did have to admire Lady Feer's understanding of the situation, and her desire for secrecy.

Keera now found herself growing more and more intrigued by this meeting.

This didn't feel like this was going to be a normal threatening conversation with the woman, it seemed that she legitimately wanted to talk.

She had been curious before, but now, she was almost overly eager.

_What was this going to be about, the dark lord wondered…?_

…_and how can I turn it to __**my **__advantage?_

She approached the woman, her dark hair flowing free, her black cape with red lining snapping in the breeze behind her. Synestra looked up as she entered; there was no arrogance in her eyes, not in this moment. She didn't look about to try and lord over her husband's apprentice.

She looked worried, concerned.

Keera smiled, enjoying the reversal.

"You asked to speak with me?"

Synestra nodded.

"Do make it quick, I'm in the middle of tending to some military matters."

If Synestra was insulted by her dismissive attitude she didn't show it.

Her master's wife sighed.

"I would like you to release my daughter from your service. I'm asking you as both a fellow Sith, and as a mother."

Avaryss almost laughed.

_As a mother?_

Was Synestra actually going to play that card with her?

How amusing.

"Your daughter is free to leave my service whenever she wishes," the dark lord assured her, "She has been free to make that choice since the day we met."

Synestra glared at her.

"You mean when your agents kidnapped her? You expect me to believe she came here with you willingly from Dromund Kaas?"

"How she arrived is not as important as the fact that she has chosen to stay."

Avaryss laughed.

"Cynn likely would have died in the same attack that killed our Emperor. Yes, my people took her away from her old life, but I'm willing to bet that she would not trade what I offered her here for her old life, why would she? Under my patronage, Cynn will have a life, a far better life than you and my master offered her back on Dromund Kaas. Here she will have power. Here she will be able to make a difference in the Empire, to truly contribute to our coming victory over the Republic and Jedi."

Avaryss shrugged.

"Doesn't your daughter deserve that? Does she not deserve to live a life that matters? I have offered her far more than you ever did. You think she was happy in that cage you called a life? No real chance at advancement, not even a lover to keep her company."

The dark lord shook her head.

"You will find, my lady, that I've been far better to your daughter than you and your husband ever were."

Synestra sighed and shook her head.

"You don't understand. Everything that Cynn endured was for her own good."

"Stuck in a dead end position with no way to advance, I'm sure she was very grateful."

Synestra's eyes flashed angrily.

"In time, Cynn would have been allowed to marry, I would have found her a proper match, someone who would advance both our house, and give her a chance at happiness."

Avaryss sneered at that.

"Perhaps you should have told her that," she offered, "Oh, but I forgot, you told me that you didn't have a daughter once?"

Avaryss laughed harshly.

"Did I miss hear you?"

"I didn't want my daughter turned into a pawn," Synestra informed her, "I had no desire to see her caught up in the games that you and my husband were playing."

The lady sighed again.

"You think you are something special, don't you? You think that you are better than the others that my husband has trained?"

"Of course, I'm better," she said proudly, "Unlike those others; I've achieved all that I've desired. I wanted to be a lord, I am. I wished to be a Darth, and I am…"

"And you are still not satisfied, are you?" Synestra interrupted, "I can see it in your eyes girl. You desire _**more**_, you would take all that my husband possesses if you could."

She thought of lying to her master's wife, but didn't see the point.

She had grown strong in the Force, once she had dealt with Moritza and his scum, not even Darth Feer would be able to deny her what she wanted.

"It is the way of the Sith," she said, "And desire has always been part of who I am. I shall have everything that I want."

"And what of me," the lady asked, "If you do manage to take away all that my husband possesses, what will become of me? What will become of my children?"

"What do you want me to say," Avaryss smirked, "I won't deny that I thought about destroying you and Bael, but perhaps that is no longer necessary. It is your husband that has been the bane of my existence. If he was to fall, perhaps you could provide me with more than a brief moment of entertainment. You know much about your husband's powerbase; perhaps we could reach an understanding."

"You make it sound so easy. You think it will be that easy?"

"Oh no, I suspect it will be the fight of my life, but I'm eagerly looking forward to it."

Avaryss grinned as she paced before the lady of House Feer. She had not even been lying.

It would be fun to destroy Synestra, but why waste something that could be valuable; she knew that she was stronger than the shutta. She could let her live, or give her life to Cynn, let the daughter decide what the mother's fate should be. Bael was likely a lost cause, but Synestra didn't need to know that, yet.

A shiver of anticipation ran down the dark lord's spine.

"I've served your husband's whims for almost half a decade now," she said, "I've eliminated his enemies. I've blazed a path for him to the Dark Council. I've given him his dreams, but now it is my turn."

She grinned fiercely.

"I deserve to have…everything, and I shall take it. One day my children will sit back with their children and recount my tale, and they will know what it truly means to be Sith. They will know what it meant to start with nothing but the Force and your wits and rise to the very height of the Empire. They will know…"

Synestra laughed.

"Your…your children?" she chortled, "Did you say your children?"

The Lady of House Feer laughed, she laughed long and hard.

Avaryss paused.

W_hat was this now?_

_What was so funny?_

_What was so **bloody** funny?!_

"Did I say something amusing," Avaryss asked her voice as cold and hard as iron.

Synestra cackled; she wiped at her eyes.

"Foolish girl, you haven't figured it out yet, have you? You really think you are going to just build a house for yourself. You think that my husband didn't make sure that you would never be more than his tool?"

She shook her head.

"Foolish child."

Avaryss glared at her, her amusement with this game quickly passing.

The lady was a fool. She had to be to dare speaking so to a Darth.

Yet, anger was not the only emotions she felt…concern seeped into her brain.

Something was amiss, but…what?

"What are you blathering about, woman," Avaryss growled, "Speak plainly."

Synestra glared at her.

"You are not the first girl that my husband took as his apprentice, and you will not be the last. You have made it farther than the others, but my husband will let you go no further, trust me. He learned long ago how to make sure you stayed in your proper place, how you would never find the chance to be more than what he desired."

"He cannot stop me from expanding my house," Avaryss spat back, "My progeny will one day be a part of one of the most powerful houses in the Empire."

"That is the whole point, you little fool!" Synestra spat back, "You will not HAVE any progeny. My husband took care of that, years ago."

Avaryss glared at her, not really sure what it was she was hearing.

"What? What do you mean?!"

Synestra gave her a cruel smile.

"Do you remember Korriban, do you remember that pure blooded toy that you seduced, how the two of you planned to wed, and leave my husband and all his hopes and dreams for you behind?"

"I remember," The dark lord answered, "So what of it?"

Synestra Feer shrugged.

"My lord had to save your life, didn't he? He came to Korriban himself, and saved you from being tortured to death. He told me the tale, how he ensured your survival, but he was not foolish enough to risk you making that mistake again, he took steps to ensure that you would never again be able to wrap another powerful male around your finger, he made sure that you had nothing to offer any other house but our own."

Avaryss blinked her mind was suddenly locking up, she…she was having trouble making sense of what she was hearing.

Keera didn't have that problem, she came out, taking control of their body, and as she did, she shivered in horror; the realization of what it was that Synestra was telling her struck home.

"No," she said, her hand going to her belly.

"Feer isn't that cruel, surely…he…he wouldn't…"

"But he did," her master's wife said with an evil smile, "He made sure that you were worthless to any other Sith house. You could wed a powerful son of any house, but you could not give his family what it wanted, what it needed."

Synestra smirked.

"You have no idea how much it amused my husband, every time you spoke of having children of your own, he was so very entertained."

She shook her head.

"Darth Feer knows how powerful that was, that…ability. When he discovered that I was going to have Cynn, he made sure that his father was out of the way of our rise. He knew that my master would never accept it, and that I would use my condition to serve my own ends."

Synestra sneered at the young woman before her.

"While you were in a coma on Korriban, recovering from your interrogation at the hands of the instructors, my husband ordered the droids tending you to perform a simple, yet all important, operation, one that would make you useless to any other suitor in the Empire. He then sealed the records, and his clearance code made sure that any droid in the Empire would not tell you what had happened. He didn't wish to distract you from your duties."

Keera listened, her heart pounding in her ears.

No.

It…it could not be true!

Feer is ruthless, but he would never…never…

Yet, as she looked at her master's wife, she knew what the woman was telling her was true.

She thought back to all the times she had mentioned having a family to her master, how he had always felt a brief moment of amusement with her musings.

Now…she knew why.

Now…she knew.

"I ask you now, Avaryss," Synestra said, "As a mother, as a woman who has something that you will never have. Please, release my daughter from your service. When you fall, and you will, my husband will follow the imperative of the Sith purist, he will destroy all those that serve you."

Synestra reached out and took her hand, her metal hand.

"I'm asking, no, I'm…I'm begging you now. Please, let my daughter go. Save her from what is to come."

Avaryss looked down into the eyes of her master's wife; she had never been so tempted to smash that face into bloody splinters.

She desired it with almost every fiber of being.

Feer, she thought angrily.

FEER!

Her hand drifted again to her belly, she thought of the future, of a life with Fenn, a life with Children of her own, and their children after them.

A dream, she realized now, it had all been a fool's dream!

Her master had made sure of it.

The Lylos line would end with her, at least, the line that would have sprung from her. Beric still could…

But no…no!

She was finding it hard to breathe, to resist the urge to kill her master's wife, to take revenge for what her foul husband had done, what he had stolen from her.

She was dying because of the actions of Darth Terrog, and the only reason that was, was because Terrog had been her master's enemy. Now this…her master had…he had.

She couldn't even speak the words, she was so angry!

She should have flown into a blind rage, destroyed the park and lady Synestra with it, but strangely enough, her anger did not explode like a volcano, it flowed by like a dark sea.

It was a dark sea about to flood an entire world. It was the dark side given form, and it would destroy everything, but only on her terms.

She looked down on Synestra, all she wanted in that moment was to prove her master's wife wrong.

I still can, she realized.

_So what if Keera Lylos cannot have any children? This body will be abandoned soon anyway._

Soon she would be rid of this diseased frame, and her new body would open an entirely new galaxy of possibilities.

She would be strong in her new form, healthy, and able to give Fenn, or Ro, as many children as the desired.

It would be perfect, **she** would be _**perfect.**_

The thought gave her some comfort.

She tried not to let what Synestra said bother her.

She still had a destiny.

The time had come to claim it.

She took a deep breath and looked down on her master's wife.

She smiled coldly.

"Thank you, for telling me this," she said, "I will make sure that when the time comes, Cynn will come to no harm when I finally make my move. I will try to save Bael, but I fear he might be lost, he had spent too much time around Sadi, and he may never be free of her."

Keera turned; her rage safely locked away for the moment, but soon to be unleashed on her enemies, on Tahl Moritza and the rest of his rebel trash.

"Your husband and I will speak upon my victorious return," she promised the lady.

"He and I have much to discuss."

"You don't know what is coming, girl," Lady Synestra shouted, "My husband does not toss away his toys until he has completely broken them."

Keera could hear the disdain in the lady's voice, she tried to ignore it.

What did she know?

Keera was a Dark Lord of the Sith.

Even the impossible was not denied her.

_I'm no one's toy,_ she thought.

_I…am a dark lord._

_I am power._

_I am death._

"This will not end the way that you think it will," Synestra shouted at her.

Keera nodded.

"We'll see about that," she murmured under her breath, again her hand going to her belly, knowing that she would never know the sensation of truly making life.

It was another crime her master had committed, something else that he had stolen from her.

He would answer for that theft.

He would pay.

_Thing won't end the way I think?_

"We will see about that," she repeated.

"We'll just see."

**A/N: Happy Halloween everyone! Sorry about the lateness of this chapter, work has been leaving me exhausted lately. Keera has just found out about another trick that Feer has played on her, and more tricks are to come, but her treat will be coming soon. Hope you continue to enjoy this story. Until next time dear readers!**

**DG **


	55. The Raid

**Chapter 55: The Raid**

"According to my source, the rebels have two primary targets for today, the Imperial Armory in Worro, and the spore processing plant outside of Kinsen."

The war council took place aboard Avaryss' interceptor. Her old crew stood around her, listening as Beric Lylos outlined what his friend had discovered, what the rebels were planning to do today. They were joined by Ro Wilkes, Magistrate Hissa, Warmaster Bleez, Taya, and the Nass-creature, the beast that now preferred to be called Abominus.

The monster's presence did little to put them at ease, it crouched on deck like some predator ready to spring, its powerful wings folded behind its back. She could have left it back at the tower, but Avaryss thought it wiser that the creature join them. Abominus was a powerful weapon; she would be useful in the fight that was coming.

Plus, Avaryss did not dare leave her to her own devices, who knew what havoc the creature might get up to if left on her own. Yes, she was bound to serve her mistress, but that didn't mean that she might find some kind of loophole, some means to hurt Avaryss or her cause.

Nass had been clever in life, clever and cunning, Keera could only guess how smart Abominus was, if she was even half as smart as the girl, she had been spawned from…

…The Dark Lord could not take that chance.

She could feel Abominus' gaze upon her, feel the anger the creature felt towards her, it would not hesitate to try to rip her in half, if it was not bound to her, it likely would have tried.

It was risky, bringing her along, but Abominus needed to learn sooner rather than later who its master was.

The monster was needed here, she would serve her mistress's needs, or she would die.

That was all that was left for the creature now.

Avaryss trusted Taya to watch her, she had more experience with Nass than the dark lord did, and she had no love for her old ally, who abandoned her during her last few months on Korriban.

No, Taya understood what needed to be done, if it came to that.

As for the rest of the mission, Keera trusted her brother and his contact, she hoped that he had not only news, but a means to turn what was about to happen to their advantage, or at least she had…before her talk with Lady Synestra.

Beric Lylos frowned as he looked at the blinking red lights on the hologram. Both locations on the map were high value targets for the rebels of Oridanna, and both were necessary in maintaining Sith interests and advancing the war effort. If either was to fall, the Sith Empire would suffer a major blow, and the flagging strength of the rebellion would be revitalized, they would be able to expand their war again, maybe this time as a true military threat.

Everyone on the ship knew that, and recognized the need to end the threat right here and now.

The dark lord certainly did, but…

She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

But…

…In that moment, Avaryss realized that she didn't care, she was only partially listening to the briefing, it did not seem important to her anymore, nothing did.

Her recent conversation with Synestra Feer occupied her thoughts, what it meant, and how it affected everything that she hoped was to come.

What did the Empire matter when her future was gone? She was starting to fear that all was lost, that she was destined to be simply a footnote in the long history of the Sith Order.

She was shocked to discover, that it didn't matter at all, nothing did.

Only the face of her master mattered…

…only her desire for _**revenge!**_

Her vision was tinged with red; everywhere she looked she could see her master's face. She could hear Darth Feer's cold laughter.

It was almost too much for her to bear, almost…

She shook her head, trying to regain her focus, not to think about what she had learned, her human hand automatically drifting to her belly, thinking about what had been taken from her, what her master had stolen from her.

Her rage continued to boil, it was now…almost impossible to resist.

She was no longer sure that she wished to resist.

As her brother continued to drone on and on about this strategy and that plan, she found herself lost in the past, thinking about what joining the Sith had cost her, the price she had paid for the power she now wielded.

Had it all been worth it, she asked herself, or had it all been…for nothing.

It was all about him, she realized, Darth Feer. In the beginning he had stolen her past; his men had murdered her family, and sent her down a path that would lead her to his service. From that point on, since her days as a Sith Hopeful, up to today, she had been nothing more, nothing less, than her master's slave. She had been a slave with power, true, but she had never really had a chance to explore her own interests, the desires that could have defined her life.

Feer had taken her past, and used her present to redefine his role in, not just the Empire, but the Sith Order as well. He had advanced far beyond what he should have, and all because of her actions, the role that she had played had brought him to the dark council chambers, had put him in a position that he was actually able to challenge for the throne, and still…that was not enough for him, it would never be enough!

A low growl escaped her throat…it was not enough to take who she had been, and what she had become, but he had also made sure that she would have no future beyond what he allowed.

He had taken away her future, _twice,_ first with his decision to have her…_operated_ on back on Korriban, and then not bothering to tell her about Terrog's retro-virus, the very virus that was now killing her. Yes, she had a way around it, but that was not the point, she shouldn't have needed to seek out a new body, she should have been allowed to live her life.

Feer had taken that from her, used her until she was all but used up.

He would have happily kept her in the dark, let her continue on as she always had until she had simply dropped dead. Never having known that she was sick, never having known how he had used her.

She shook her head, again seeing his smiling face before her eyes.

_Damn you, master_, she thought.

_You've taken everything from me!_

_**EVERYTHING!**_

"Are you alright, my lord?"

Commander Holli's question drew her back from her musings, the frigidly black hatred that threatened to swallow her whole.

"I…I'm fine, Commander," she lied, "Lets…um…let us remain focused on the briefing.

Holli returned her attention to Beric's prattling, but Keera could not.

Feer had taken so much from her, the life of a Sith had taken so much from her.

She was not sure how much she had left?

_I…I don't know how much more we can take_, Keera thought, She felt like it was all slipping away, that she was slipping away; nothing seemed to matter anymore, not the Empire, not the war, nothing.

She was starting to think that if she lost anything else, if she lost _anyone_ else, she would not be able to handle it. She was barely holding it together as it was.

Dr. Vrann had warned her; the virus affecting her brain chemistry could do far worse than simply kill her, she could suffer a complete and utter psychotic break. She could snap, and lose all touch with reality.

She hated to admit it, but in this moment, that didn't sound that bad. If felt like reality was determined to break her, to leave her with nothing.

It was as if the Force itself was working against her, that it was betraying her, and in the center of that web of betrayal sat Darth Feer.

It had always been him, she realized.

It had always been him.

"Stop it," Avaryss hissed, "Pull yourself together."

"I can't," Keera almost whimpered; she had managed to keep from falling apart in front of Synestra, but now, after having thought about what had happened again and again, she was almost at the end of her rope.

"Yu can and you will," Avaryss hissed, "We are so close to absolute victory. You just need to hold on for a bit longer. We will deal with Feer, once we have dealt with the rebellion.

Keera wanted to believe that, she…

"Lord Avaryss?"

Beric's words reminded her where she was again, she blinking and looked up at her brother, pretending that she had actually been paying attention.

"Yes, Captain?" she asked.

Her brother gave her a curious look.

"Do you have anything else to add, before I go on with the battle plan?"

She tried to think, come up with some idea simply from looking at the map, trying to let her eye guide her back over what he had said, trick him into believing that she had actually been paying attention.

Sadly, she had nothing.

One she looked at the map, all she could see was Darth Feer's face, hear his words.

"Scream for me, daughter," he whispered from the shadows.

"Scream for me."

She saw visions of how her life should have been; they danced before her eyes; a life not only of power, but happiness as well. She imagined living on Dromund Kaas with her husband, and their family. She imagined the children that they would have.

Sometimes it was Ro she saw at her side, he was her husband, other times it was Fenn, after he had finally abandoned the dogmatic lies of the Jedi, regardless, she now knew that those dreams were nothing, flights of fancy, and fantasy.

Darth Feer had made sure of that.

He had made sure she didn't have a future….

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

When she thought about what happened, all it did was piss her off!

The anger helped, she supposed, it was far better than despair, it kept her centered, focused on her vengeance, her thirst for vengeance.

She smiled at her brother, not wanting him to see how weak she had become.

"Continue with the battle plan, captain," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

She nodded respectfully.

"So far I like what I'm hearing."

He nodded.

"The information provided us by Lieutenant Rance has revealed that the attack will begin an hour after dark. A strike at the Spore processor first, followed quickly by a raid on the Worro armory."

"Have we managed to confirm that these attacks will take place?" Avaryss asked.

"It seems so, my lord," Hissa answered, "The security system at the Worro armory has just flagged an attempt to access the systems there; using the command codes that we discovered were used by the rebels in previous raids.

Hissa grinned.

"They will find their codes not so useful this time."

A sly smile came to Avaryss' lips.

"Made some changes to the system, have you Magistrate?"

"The codes will continue to function as expected, however they will not be shutting down the security systems completely, just enough to draw the enemy out, and into our trap."

"We don't want to spook our prey too soon," Beric agreed, Spore plant raid will be the rebels' first strike of the evening. According to Rance, they will do nothing to jam communications; they will want to draw out as many of our forces as they can."

"They wish to clear out any possible reinforcements for the armory?" Xen said with a sly grin, they want all our forces focused away on their strike on this processing plant?"

"That is what it looks like, yes," her lover agreed, "Once the rebels hear that our reinforcements are moving to aid our people in Kinsen, they will strike hard at Worro, stealing as many arms as they can."

"It is actually quite a brilliant plan," Dym said thoughtfully, "If we drive them off from the spore plant, it is likely they will gain enough new weapons from Worro to continue their war against us. If we choose to defend the armory, they steal enough processed spores to refinance their entire operation. They win either way."

Xen gave him a curious look.

"How valuable are these spores?"

"Close to a hundred million credits, easy," the Muun answered, "More than enough credits to revitalize their flagging strength, might even be enough to start hiring pirate gangs again, like they did back on Pholis."

"Which is why they must be stopped here," Beric said grimly. "We've been forced to pull troops from the defense of the capital to make this strike work, but if all goes to plan, the rebels will suffer a very bloody nose today."

Avaryss's crew nodded.

The scenario that her brother was outlining sounded reasonable, but again she could not shake the feeling that she was missing something.

Again, it sounded almost too perfect.

"What if your guy has gotten it wrong, soldier boy," Rink asked.

"Rance wouldn't lie to me," Beric Lylos replied, "I know him too well."

"I'm not saying that he is lying, I'm saying that what we might be looking at here; is some kind of double feint."

The former street rat shook his head.

"You said we needed to draw defenders from the capital to make this plan of yours work, what happens if the rebels chose to hit there instead, what if what your man heard is all some mass deception, a means for the rebels to hit a larger target, a target left all but defenseless, by our moving our forces around?"

Necris looked at the map and nodded.

"Rink is making a good point," the necromancer agreed, "If this is being just a feint…"

"We are ready for that too," Beric said, "The enforcer have remained behind in the capital, in case they are needed, plus, Captain Kannady had moved down two full battalions to the surface, they will be there if the capital should fall under attack.

Beric pressed a button on the holo tank, a third target flashed before their eyes.

"The battles in Kinsen and Worro are important, but they are also just a pinning maneuver. Rance's information also included the location of the Rebel's main broadcast center, a center that will go online moments after the raids concludes."

He looked at Avaryss.

"We believe that Tahl Moritza himself will be there for that broadcast, and that he will have Talitha at his side."

Beric smiled.

"This is our chance, my lord, our chance to rescue her."

Avaryss frowned, again this sounded almost too good to be true.

"How can we be sure that Moritza will be there, and that he will have Talitha with him?"

"The rebels only have this one facility," he told her, "Simply sending a recorded hologram won't work this time, if one attack should fail, Moritza will need to adjust his message accordingly, as for Talitha being there…"

Her brother shrugged.

"My source says that they have doubled security at the broadcast site, that Moritza is holding something very valuable there."

She nodded.

Her brother could be wrong, but if there was a chance of getting Moritza, and saving Talitha, they could not pass it up.

"Very well," she said, "We will need to hit the facility the same time that the battles are going on in both Worro and Kinsen."

She smirked.

"And to even further sell how seriously I'm taking these attacks, I will lead our forces in both Worro and Kinsen."

Beric's brow furrowed.

"You?"

She nodded.

"How do you plan on being in two places at once?"

"Three, actually," she said tossing her helmet to Necris."

The Devish caught it with a toothy grin.

"So," she purred, "I will be playing the role of the master during this attack?"

"In Worro, yes," Avaryss said, "Ro and his volunteers will be with you. Seeing him there will help sell the deception."

"Are you sure about this, my lord?" Ro asked, sounding worried, "I would rather be at your side during…"

"You will be; that is what the rebels in Worro will believe."

"And what of Kinsen," Hissa asked, "Will another of your apprentice be there as well?"

"I will be there," she promised, looking at Holli.

The Commander nodded.

She knew what was expected of her.

Dym will stand with the Avaryss in Kinsen, Taya and Abominus will go as well. When my face is seen, it should go a long way in convincing the enemy that I'm on the battlefield."

"And where will you be truly, my lord?" Hissa asked.

"Where else," she said with a smile, "I will lead Beric's team against the rebel broadcast facility, Xen and I will make sure that no further transmissions are sent from the site, and I will recover my sister as well."

The Dark Lord looked at the map and nodded.

An interesting plan, Avy, Keera agreed from her place in the back of their mind.

If we can get Moritza, drag him back to the capital in chains…

I will not waste my time on a trial, she replied to her other self.

A head will suffice; the rebels and officials of Oridanna will finally understand that the war is over.

Oridanna is and will always be a Sith world.

I will accept nothing less.

"What kind of defenses are we looking at," Xen asked, "We will need all the strength we can muster to crush this threat."

The rebels have few military vehicles," Beric answered, one heavy troop transport, and two repaired walkers. My source believes that they will be used to secure the armory."

We will have proper armor there and waiting when they arrive," Hissa promised.

"See that you do," Avaryss said.

She turned to her crew, her inner circle.

She smiled.

"We have done much together my allies. We have bled together, endured together. Now we must prove our mettle again."

She looked at them each in turn.

"I would gladly trust my life to anyone in this room. What we have faced together forged us into one of the greatest crews in the Empire."

Abominus cackled.

"Do you include me in your loyal crew, Avy?"

"I trust your ambitions Abominus," she replied, "If you want to possess your father's holdings one day, you will do as I say."

She turned to Taya and HK.

"Keep an eye on her for me. You both know what to do if she proves…untrustworthy."

The assassin droid looked at the monster; a shudder ran through its metal frame.

"Eager statement: Oh master, I do love when you say things like this, I so look forward to carrying out your orders."

"We will handle it Avy," Taya promised, "All will be as you wish."

Good, Avaryss thought with a nod.

Very good.

"Tahl Moritza has lived long enough," she declared, "He has twisted a loyal imperial world and turned it into a hotbed of traitors and dissidents."

Her eyes narrowed at the mere thought.

"Tonight we prove the strength of the Imperial fighting machine, not just the power of the Force, and the strength of our military, but the courage and skill of our warriors.

She grinned hungrily.

"The day has come my friends, the day of reckoning; the end of the Rebellion is at hand. For the Sith!"

"_**FOR THE SITH!"**_ her crew shouted.

"LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!"

"_**LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!"**_

Yes, Avaryss thought.

Now it begins…

…The beginning of the end.

IOI

The shuttle skimmed low to the ground, its bottom brushing the tips of the long grass of the Oridanna plains.

Avaryss felt the thrill of it all; being only a few centimeters from certain death excited the Dark Lord.

Xen's skill guided their ship towards their target.

She looked over her troops, twelve trained commandos, handpicked by Beric for this mission. They moved like machines, checking over their weapons, and armor, readying them for battle.

A good crew, she thought, she could feel their eagerness to destroy the enemy. Their desire to protect the Empire from what they thought was its greatest enemy.

She was eager to fight at the side of these men.

She was eager to end Tahl Moritza, once and for all.

She moved and sat down next to Beric, he was all business; she could barely sense his emotions.

That was good.

She needed him cold and frosty today.

If they were to save Talitha, they needed to be ready.

"Once we've secured Talitha, I want you to get her out of there, nothing else matters."

He glanced up at his sister.

"Nothing? What about you Sister? What if you were in danger?"

She gave him a sly smirk.

"I can take care of myself, besides, Tahl Moritza is mine."

A shiver ran down her spine.

"He will suffer to his last breath."

He nodded.

"I understand your anger, sister, but don't let it blind you. We've a chance here to end the fighting here. We should focus on that."

She nodded; she knew he was right, but…

She was so angry, she had so much rage!

Darth Feer was not here for her to unleash it, and if she didn't unleash it, she would be overwhelmed by it.

No, she needed to end Moritza, she hungered for it.

He needed to die.

He deserved to suffer!

She felt warmth on her lips, she reached up with her right hand and wiped at her nose.

Her fingers came away bloody.

She frowned.

Dr. Vrann warned her of this. The treatments helped, but they were not a cure.

Bloody noses would become more and more common for her over the next few months. It was a small symptom of her failing health.

It was one problem of many that she was facing.

It didn't matter, not in the long run.

She would soon crush the rebellion, and in her victory, she would finally secure Oridanna, her homeworld would be in her pocket.

She found herself thinking about Darth Sadi, she was not sure what business had taken the woman away, but it didn't matter.

She would not be here to claim this victory over the rebellion for herself.

It would be Avaryss and Avaryss alone that would seize the laurels, this would be **her** triumph.

It would be a victory for both her, and the Empire.

Even if that meant less and less to her, she still desired victory.

_Through victory my chains are broken._

Yes, she thought, she longed to break her chains.

She desired to be free.

Her holo communicator chirped; she raised it; the image of Magistrate Hissa appeared. He was currently aboard the Emperor's Wisdom, monitoring the various battles from there.

"The attack in Kinsen has begun, my lord," he informed her, "Reinforcements are being deployed."

"Excellent," she replied, "Tread carefully, Magistrate, let us not spook our quarry, just yet."

"Fear not, my lord, we will draw them out, and in."

"Good, any word from the capital? Any surprises?"

"Nothing, Warmaster Bleez has not contacted me."

Good, she thought.

In this, no news was good news.

Warmaster Bleez had returned to the capital, the trooper would lead the Enforcers into battle if that is what was required.

She smiled at her pet Magistrate.

"I'm going comm silent now; I will contact you again when the battle is over."

"As ordered," the man said, "Good hunting, my lord."

"May the Force serve you well, Magistrate.

The holo vanished, she put her communicator away.

If something came up in the capital, Bleez would be able to handle it. She had no doubt.

Avaryss was not concerned about that, the Force seemed to be singing to her now; she sensed that she was on the right track, whatever was coming; she was where she needed to be.

It is almost over," she thought.

"My victory is at hand."

She put on a Sith war mask, it was not as strong as the one that Necris was wearing as part of their feint, but…

It would protect her when the bolts started flying.

"Approaching drop point," Xen called out from the pilot seat, "prepare to engage."

The troopers brought up their weapons, she heard the sound of power packs humming, the sound of heavy blasters coming to life, their safeties off.

She gripped her lightsaber firmly with both hands. She was so eager for this, so eager to wash her hands in blood.

She could not change what Feer had done to her, she could not change what Terrog had done to her, but she could influence this. She could kill the rebel leaders and save her sister.

She was most eager to kill something, it would be glorious!

Beric brought up the holo-map that his source had acquired.

She regarded it thoughtfully.

Once this place had been an estate for one of the southern landowners, one of many that had fallen when Darth Feer had claimed the land for himself.

Now it was a rebel stronghold, a place for dissidents, she would bring it down around their ears, once she had gotten her sister to safety.

"Remember what I said, brother," she said, "Talitha first."

"I will do as you ask, sister, all will be as it needs to be."

She nodded.

Good.

Xen's voice rang out over the vehicle's loudspeaker.

"Landing in three, two one…"

The ship hit with a bump.

"DOWN AND CLEAR!"

The transport's doors swung open, Avaryss leapt out, followed by Beric and his troopers.

She landed on the ground, the winter wind blowing her cape; she did not ignite her lightsaber yet.

She looked around quickly reaching out with the Force.

She sensed no danger, no blaster fire rose to greet them. The transport lifted and withdrew to a safe position.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed, they had come in low, to avoid detection on enemy scanners, but the ship was not invisible, any rebel sentries should have seen their arrival.

Something isn't right," Keera said, "Why are we not under attack?"

Avaryss frowned; it was a good question, a very good question.

Why weren't the rebels coming out to meet them?"

As quiet as shadows, Beric deployed his troopers; they spread out in a flanking pattern, advancing on the target.

Her brother stayed close to her, he would be both her guard and her back-up if she needed it.

They moved forward, predators hiding in the long grass, Tukata waiting to spring on their prey.

Her heart beat quickened; she could barely contain her bloodlust.

Be here," she thought, "Tahl Moritza, you had better be here.

Tonight, we dance the final dance.

She lost track of her troopers, they were so quiet, so professional.

She was grateful that they were on her side.

They came to the edge of long grass.

Her eyes widened as she peered out from cover, her smile turned predatory; a shark-like grin.

Ah, she thought, there he was.

There was a small campaign tent set up before the ruins of the estate. She saw Tahl Moritza standing before a holocam as his soldiers set up for their broadcast, and there, to his left, on her knees.

Talitha, she thought.

_Good._

_She was alive._

Her sister was bound her hands behind her back, her legs folded beneath her.

_There she is. Let's go, Avy_, Keera shouted, _**Come on!**_

Avaryss did not obey.

They were not ready yet, she was waiting for Beric to receive the signal that their troops were in position.

She would not give the rebel leader a chance to escape, not this time.

She took a deep breath.

By now the battle of the Worro Armory should be underway; the rebels should all be committed to their attacks.

Almost she thought.

Almost.

"Are we ready," she asked over her comlink, her direct link to her brother.

Stand by," his response came back.

"Stand by."

She glared.

Stand by? Why?

If they were in position they should.

Blaster fire rang out.

The long grass around them flashed red.

Damn, Avaryss thought.

They're onto us!

No more time!

She leapt.

"Keera wait!" Beric shouted.

She didn't obey.

She was tired of waiting.

She wanted blood.

She would have it.

She ignited her blade as she flew through the air.

Tahl Moritza and his band of rebels looked up.

Too late, she thought.

Far too late!

The rebels went for their blasters.

Too slow!

She beheaded the man behind the holocam.

She sent a blast of Force lightning into the one closest to the generator. He flew back and it exploded.

Night turned to day.

She looked away from the light; she had eyes only for Tahl Moritza.

She could see the light from her blade reflected in his darkened face plate.

"Now," she hissed, "You die!"

"Protect," Moritza said, pulling a blaster from his sleeve.

"Protect!"

He raised his weapon and fired.

She was too quick, she danced around his blasts, and closed the distance; almost on reflex she cut Talitha's bonds.

"RUN!" the dark lord shouted, "RUN SISTER!"

"Keera!" Talitha screamed, "STOP! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

She parried Moritza's blasts; he backed up, but was nowhere near fast enough.

"KEERA!"

She brought her blade around, she could hear her sister screaming but in that moment she didn't care.

She had had enough of Moritza.

He was done.

She swatted his blaster away with her metal hand and brought her lightsaber around in a wicked arc.

"DIIIIIEEEEEE!"

Her blade sliced through the neck of the rebel leader, sparks exploded.

The head bounced away, the face plate shattering as it hit the ground.

The body didn't fall it tried to continue its attack.

Avaryss sliced at it with her lightsaber the robes caught fire as more sparks emerged, oil splattered in her face."

The dark lord sputtered.

What the?

In the light of the fires burning around her, she saw what was left of Tahl Moritza. She could not believe it.

The helmet was broken she could see the face underneath, or rather the face plate.

What the…?

She stared in disbelief.

A droid?!

Tahl Moritza was a droid!

"SISTER! KEERA!" Beric emerged from the tall grass, his remaining soldiers at his back.

Keera stared down in shock, she…she didn't understand!

How could Tahl Moritza be a droid?!

"Beric?" she heard Talitha say.

"Ric get her out of here!" Avaryss shouted, "We need to fall back!"

"It is okay, sister," Beric said coming to her side, he put his hand on her shoulder.

"It is over."

She glared at him.

What was he talking about it was…?

She felt a shift in the Force, but she could not respond; the danger was too close.

_He _was _too _close.

**PEW! PEW!**

Avaryss gasped, the red flash of light was followed by a cold burning sensation in her gut, far colder than anything she had ever felt.

She…she…

She coughed blood.

She…

_**Oh Emperor!**_

She could only stare in shock,

Beric looked at her like she was a stranger he plucked her lightsaber from her hands.

She…she…

_What?!_

**CRACK!**

The force of his back hand caused her to lose her mask, it went flying off!

She spun and fell to the ground, she couldn't stand. She…she…

She coughed blood. She held her gut, feeling burnt cloth, and smelling burnt meat.

**Beric had shot her!**

**He had shot her **_**twice i**_**n the stomach!**

**Twice!**

She tried to stand, to cry out; to call on the Force to save herself.

He brought his foot around and kicked her; her head snapped back, stars exploded before her eyes.

She laid on the ground her troopers standing around her, they…

They were all pointing their blasters…at her.

HER?!

"Stupid little witch," her brother said, "Why could you not have simply accepted the way things were."

Avaryss' head spun, she…she didn't understand.

Beric?

He…he was her brother!

Why?

Why would he…?

Talitha came up beside him; she held the head of the Tahl Moritza droid in her hands.

She shook her head, much as she had done back home, back when she found one of her pet droids malfunctioning.

"What a mess," she slurred, the scars on her face effecting her voice.

"It is going to take me hours to fix him."

"You have time now, my dear."

The voice that spoke up was cold and cruel, a voice that demanded to be obeyed.

Avaryss turned her head, to see Darth Sadi standing next to Talitha and at her side was Bael Feer.

He looked at her sister.

"Are you okay?" he asked his voice thick with concern.

Talitha smiled.

"I'm fine Bael," she promised him, "She didn't get the chance to hurt me."

Avaryss groaned.

Me…hurt her?

As she watched Bael did something she never would have expected.

He pulled Talitha into his arms and kissed her, kissed her like they were lovers or something.

Avaryss groaned.

No, she thought.

NO!

Sadi laughed.

Beric dropped to one knee before the Dark Lord of the Itae system.

"Her lightsaber, my mistress," Beric said, he was practically whimpering with joy to be back in the presence of the other Sith, and in his other hand…a holocron…

…_**Her**_ holocron.

He was like a dog come to hump his mistress' leg.

It was disgusting!

"A gift, for my lady"

Sadi took both Avaryss' blade, and her holocron.

"Thank you, dear captain," she said, "I'm most pleased."

He grinned like a happy child.

"Are…are you…you pleased? Really? Have I done well? I have, haven't I?"

"Oh yes," Sadi said examining Avaryss' holocron.

"You have done very well, captain."

Avaryss snarled blood a spit flew from between her clenched teeth. She tried to crawl towards her brother, her only thought was of tearing out his throat with her bare hands!

Traitor, she thought.

Traitor!

Sadi smiled down upon her.

Avaryss roared like a dying beast.

"Oh what's the matter Avy?" he rival asked, "Are you trying to say something?"

Keera emerged angry and full of hate!

Beric, Talitha, her family!

They!

_**They!**_

She growled under her breath, rage and hate filling her up.

"What was that dear, I can't hear you?"

In that moment Avaryss found her voice, her head was spinning from Beric's attack and the pain in her gut, but…she could speak.

"_**TRAITORS!"**_

Force lightning exploded from her finger tips. Bael pushed Talitha behind him, while Beric and his men hid behind Sadi.

It would not save them!

Avaryss roared like an enraged rancor!

_**She would kill them all!**_

She started to cast, to call on the death field; she would not stop it this time; she would let it flow over the entire world.

All would pay for this outrage!

She would burn this whole treacherous world to the ground.

She would...

She was flung back! She landed ten feet from where she had been, her leg breaking, she could feel the bone tear through her pants.

She howled.

She was surrounded by shadows; the dark side faded. She felt her powers being drained away, her life being drained away.

She whimpered; she was in so much pain.

_Betrayal,_ she thought

_They've betrayed, me every last one!_

She looked up into the shadow; she saw two glowing yellow eyes staring down at her.

"You will not die here, child," Her mother's voice said, "But you must stop, you don't understand.

"Mother," Keera whimpered, "You're with them! You came here to kill me! You lied!"

She felt the shadow ripple with disappointment.

"You will understand, Keera," she promised, "When you awaken you will understand."

The world spun away, she felt cold, and she felt empty.

_Gone_, she thought _all gone._

_**Betrayed!**_

_Everyone I trusted, betrayal!_

Love a lie!

Family a trap!

BETRAYAL! BETRAYAL! BETRAYAL!

Traitors all!

The whole galaxy…they are _**all**_ traitors.

Let it burn!

LET ALL LIFE BURN!

She let the darkness take her, but she didn't forget.

She would _**never**_ forget.

Oridanna would pay for this outrage!

The Universe would scream as she tore its soul out!

All would be consumed by the revenge of the Sith!

She would be the dark side.

She would be the SITH!

Something within her broke, it snapped.

Something died within her in that moment.

She let it die.

She no longer cared!

She glared at the shadow, and at those that served it.

You will understand, the shadow promised.

Avaryss smiled through bloody teeth.

I already do, she thought.

I'm going to kill you!

I'm going to kill you all!

_You will suffer_, she thought.

The darkness claimed her.

_**ALL…WILL…SUFFER!**_


	56. Reunification

**Chapter 56: Reunification**

She was trapped in a very old, and familiar, nightmare.

Keera watched as the Sith Troopers tore through the Lylos family farm. She could do nothing as they set charges in the doors of her family's rooms.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously, every instinct she now possessed screamed to lash out, to destroy the men and women for daring to hurt her family, for destroying her past.

Why do I keep coming back to this? She wondered.

Why can't I escape this?!

"Because this was the moment I was born," Avaryss said behind her.

She spun to see the Sith Acolyte standing behind her, still clad in the training robes of Korriban, her jaw covered by a breathing mask.

Keera glared at her other self.

"How can you just stand there," Keera demanded, "How can you see this and feel nothing?"

Avaryss laughed, an ugly sound through the breathing mask, and quite painful, if Keera's shared memories with her other self were correct.

"Why should we do anything?" Avy asked, "You know how this ends, all these troopers are going to be dead in a few minutes. **We** destroy them, the death field that we conjured turned them all to ash; they died screaming."

The masked Sith chuckled.

"I don't have to do anything, we already did it."

Keera hissed and watched as the troopers filed out of the homestead, she knew that her other self was right, but it brought little comfort.

_My world __**ended**__ here_, she thought, _but it also __**began.**_

"Why does life always begin with pain?" she asked.

"Life IS pain," Avaryss said with a shrug.

This was normally the time that the dream shifted, that they found themselves outside, watching as Feer's enforcer reduced the farm house to an inferno; to a smoking hole.

They did not make that transition this time, Avaryss and Keera remained where they were…

…the one made two continued to watch.

What is this," Keera wondered.

"It seems that the Force has something to show us," Avaryss said, peering over her other self's shoulder.

_Yes_, Keera realized.

"Perhaps you are right for once, Avy.

As they watched, the door to Talitha's room opened, they watched as their little sister emerged, a spanner in hand, the tool she had used to slice the lock.

Keera felt a ripple in the Force.

_It was time,_ she thought glumly.

The charge outside of Talitha's door went off, and the world turned white.

Only this time, the dream didn't end, it continued, and the two remained inside the house.

They finally saw what happened next.

Talitha had only had a microsecond to react, but she had.

She raised her hands and…pushed outward.

The blast flowed around her, stopped by a Force shield.

Both Avaryss and Keera's eyes widened.

Talitha had **not** died in the explosion!

She was Force sensitive, and she knew how to use it?

She had **saved** herself.

The blast did lift her up however, it flung her hard against the back wall, the explosion outside of Pamir's room buffeted her, her shield cracked, and Tali caught fire.

She screamed in agony, but still managed to hold her shield. She managed to smother the flames with her power, but she was still in danger. Her home was coming down, everything ignitable or flammable in the house was about to blow. Talitha stumbled towards the back wall, tapping on the surface with her hand, and with her foot, in a seemingly random pattern on the bricks before it.

Keera was not sure what her sister was doing. What was she…?

The wall slid back and Talitha fell inside, Avaryss and Keera followed her, the flames and destruction not touching them. The door sealed behind them as the ceiling finally gave way.

The last of the Lylos family home crumbled away, the ceiling collapsed muffling the last of the explosion.

Yet, Talitha had survived, she was injured, and lying on the floor in this hidden room, or rather, a hidden hall, automatic lights kicked on, revealing a stairway leading down.

Both Keera and Avaryss looked around in surprise.

"What was this," Avaryss wondered.

"Why was there a secret door in our home?" Keera wondered.

Though this was only a dream, or vision, Keera tried to reach out with the Force, get a sense of where they were now…she couldn't.

As she looked up at the now sealed doorway, she saw why.

Sith glyphs were inscribed, not just on the door itself, but around the entry way as well.

Both she and Avaryss recognized those glyphs.

Those are part of a masking spell," Avaryss recognized, "If anyone tried to reach out and find this door with the Force…

"They wouldn't have been able to," Keera finished, "This passageway was hidden against Force –users; those glyphs hide the presence of not only the door but of the person behind it."

Keera shook her head.

No wonder that she felt Talitha wink out in the Force, she assumed her sister was dead, but…

She had not been dead, she had been hiding.

Again, the young dark lord's mind spun.

_What was all this? My family was simple farmers…?_

_Why was this even here?_

Despite being in incredible agony, unable to even lift her right arm, eight year old Talitha Lylos stumbled down the steps, whimpering with pain, but clearly not fatally wounded.

Keera and Avaryss tried to follow her, to find out where the stairs led, sadly, it was not be.

The two were yanked away, Keera howled in frustration.

NO!

WE WERE SO CLOSE!

She felt herself rising, the past sinking into the shadows.

SO CLOSE!

IOI

Slowly, the world came back to the Sith Lord.

Avaryss awoke in control, the sound of machines beeping, and the smell of kolto filled her nose.

A medical room, she realized, and with that realization, the memory of what had happened came back to her.

Her attack on Tahl Moritza, the realization that the rebel leader was really a droid and Beric…he…

A wave of anger washed over her.

Beric, her own dear brother, shooting her, blasting her in the gut, she remembered the pain, and seeing him kneeling before Darth Sadi, her humble dog.

A shiver ran down her spine.

Beric would pay for that betrayal.

He would pay…dearly.

Why are we not dead, Keera wondered?

Why would the rebels choose to save us?

It was a good question, Avaryss had to admit, Sadi, Talitha, and the rest of their crew still wanted more from her, it seemed.

They would not get it.

She had come here to end this rebellion.

She would see that the ring leaders answered for what they had done!

She kept her presence in the Force small, just in case Sadi or one of her underlings was watching her. Avaryss sent out tendrils of the Force, seeking just how many rebels might be guarding their new prisoner.

She felt a single presence nearby, a familiar presence, one she had not felt in years, and had known before she even knew what sensing someone in the Force meant.

Talitha.

Avaryss risked opening her eyes, she recognized the familiar imperial architecture, the design of a Sith medical bay.

Talitha sat to her right, all her attention at that moment focused on an item sitting in her lap.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

Talitha Lylos had her holocron.

Keera's little sister turned the crystal pyramid over and over, touching the various symbols on its surface, even shaking the device once or twice.

Her expression was one that her older sister knew well, she remembered it from when the other girl was so engrossed in fixing one of her droids that nothing else took precedence.

"Open, damn you," the girl muttered under her breath, "Just open."

Talitha hissed in frustration and set the holocron down.

"Droid," she called out, "Get my tools, I will get this silly little thing to work!"

Avaryss frowned.

A holocron was no silly little thing, and it deserved more respect than to be taken apart like it was some malfunctioning cleaning droid.

Avaryss had heard enough.

"You can't open it that way," she said loudly, "It won't open at all, and it's locked."

Talitha startled at the sound of her sister's voice.

"Keera," she gasped, "You're awake!"

Summoned by her name, Keera took over her body, and sat up, and regretted it immediately, pain burned across her abdomen, she looked down to see two fresh red blaster burns now marred the pale skin of her belly.

Her armor had protected her, mostly, but at close range, the military side arm had still done damage.

Damn you, Beric, she thought.

Damn you!

Keera looked around quickly, it was indeed a medical room, or perhaps a medical bay, it was similar to the setup she had back on her interceptor, a ship's medical bay…

So I'm on a ship, she realized, wonderful, who knew where she was now. If the rebels had decided to flee the system…?

She looked at her little sister.

Clad in the overall of a Sith engineer, Tali looked much like she remembered. Her brown hair was a bit longer perhaps, and the scars on her face had twisted one side of her mouth, giving her voice a slight lisp.

She was also a young woman now, or close to it. Talitha had been about to turn nine when she had died, that would put her about fifteen now, almost sixteen.

Talitha was the same age that Keera had been when she had started down the dark path.

The irony was not lost on the dark lord.

Talitha….was alive, and she is more like me than I ever realized.

She could sense her through the Force now; she could sense ambition and desire, surprise and disbelief.

Keera smiled; a cold cruel smile that did not touch her eyes.

She had come to save her little sister from the rebels.

What she desired now was something far different.

_She will share the fate of my enemies_, Keera thought.

_She will pay._

"Hello Talitha," she said in a venomous purr, "Or perhaps you prefer to be called, Tahl Moritza?"

She glared at the young girl.

"You have much to answer for, rebel."

If Talitha was afraid she didn't show it.

She gave her sister a smile, a misshapen thing given the girl's facial scars.

"You don't understand, Keera, not yet, but you will."

"What is to understand," Keera asked, "You have led a revolt against the Empire. Do you think that the Empire would not answer that?"

Talitha rolled her eyes.

"There was never any revolt, not really, not one that I ever cared about. Our people were angry at your master, and they wanted to strike back."

Talitha sneered.

"They served their purpose, they got mother and me what we wanted; they drew you back here. You're home sister, you are finally home."

Keera digested what her sister had said, and once she had, she smiled again, coldly.

"I don't suppose you can tell me the results of the battle, your strike against the armory and the spore processing center?"

Talitha shrugged.

"The Empire's forces met with complete success," the girl informed her older sister, "Tahl Moritza's most loyal soldiers fought to the last against your minions. Those that did try to flee were cut down by your reinforcements."

A mischievous glint shown in Talitha's eyes, she radiated a sense of deep satisfaction.

Her reaction surprised her sister.

"You feel no anger for your loss?" The dark lord inquired, "I would expect you to be angry about your defeat."

"As I said, it wasn't MY defeat," the girl continued, "The men and women we sent in played their part, and now their use is at an end. They did what they were supposed to do."

Talitha smirked.

"Mother told me once, that true power was not controlling the weak, but manipulating the strong into doing your bidding, to make them so sure of themselves that they will die for your cause, even if it is a cause you care nothing about."

A giggle escaped the girl's twisted lips.

"They died well, my loyal soldiers."

"You mean your willing dupes?" Keera said.

"Same thing, different name," her little sister said with a laugh.

"You should be honored sister; we have made you a hero again. You're the savior of Oridanna."

"Lucky me," Keera said.

"Not so lucky, I'm afraid," Talitha admitted, you are also lost, believed dead. Beric is already spinning that story to your followers."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

Beric, she thought, my dear brother.

She fought the urge to smile.

Oh, how she was going to enjoy peeling the flesh from his bones.

Not if we don't survive this," Avaryss reminded her other self, "We need to find out what is going on. You need to keep Talitha talking. We must know more."

Keera nodded.

Yes, they did need to know more.

Talitha needed to keep talking.

"So this was your idea of a power game? You thought to play with Darth Feer? You and Darth Sadi sought to undermine his rule?"

"To weaken the Darth, sure, but the main focus was _**you**_, mother was very clear on that, this has always been about you, Keera. We needed you back. Mother needed you back, and now you are here."

Talitha brightened feelings of familial warmth filled the Force.

"You are finally here."

Keera restrained herself from rolling her eyes.

She still was not sure what was going on, but she was starting to get an idea of it.

This whole rebellion had been a ruse. Talitha and mother had instigated it, somehow they had convinced Darth Sadi to help them, and likely other members of the ruling council here on Oridanna.

Some of the rebellions recent actions now made sense to her. Why the rebels had shifted tactics so drastically.

Talitha, in her guise as Tahl Moritza, had led her followers like herd animals to a slaughterhouse, and all to make her sister look better?

Okay, that made sense, but…what happened next…?

That made little sense to her.

Why make Keera a hero, only to have Beric try to assassinate her?

How did Darth Sadi fit in to all this? What was in it for her?

Keera had a few suspicions, but…

So far, she was not pleased with the conclusions she was drawing.

Talitha looked down at the holocron again.

"It is a most interesting toy, sister," she said, changing the subject, "I can feel the power within it. Your power is in it, isn't it?"

Keera nodded, and reached out with the Force.

The holocron flew into her hands, she looked it over quickly; she wanted to make sure that Talitha or Beric had not damaged it with their stumbling.

"How did you acquire such an amazing thing?" Tali asked her.

Keera stroked the holocron lovingly.

"I made it," she said, not bothering to mention that both she and Avaryss had contributed to its construction.

"It is mine."

Talitha's crooked smile widened again.

"I never figured you for an engineer, sister."

Keera frowned.

"Construction of a holocron is no mere engineering skill sister. It is not like simply assembling a droid or a swoop bike; it takes time, power, and patience."

Keera smiled with pride as she looked at the pyramid of crystal.

"This is not just a device, it is my legacy, and it's what I shall leave behind…."

Keera nodded.

"It…shall endure."

IOI

Avaryss had first begun work on the device shortly after Marr had declared her a Darth back on Korriban. At the time, it had been more of a vanity project than anything else; Avaryss had expected its construction and filling of information to be the work of decades, a long term goal that would pay off well for a future generation. She had been so careful, preparing the holocron, wanting it to be a guide for future generations of her line.

That work had been slow, and tedious, and nearly ended before it had begun.

Despite having done the research and finding the necessary instructions, building a holocron was an extremely intricate operation. She had grown the crystals, filled them with dark side energy, and needed to cut them just right. Everything had to be flawless for the holocron to work, and survive the long millennia to come. Once she had completed the components, the the real work had begun, linking the crystals, shaping them, and then creating an interface, using them to form a proper hologrammic matrix. It had been slow work, frustrating work. Twice she had failed, crystals cracking during the first attempt, and then having the matrix melt down during the second. The result of both failures meant starting over, having to destroy both the prototype and the second version. She had destroyed both; she shattered them during fits of frustration and rage.

By the third attempt, she had been more careful, she had learned from her failure. She had progressed step by step, focusing only on her work, it had been a form of moving meditation, her work had progressed slowly, but it had worked. Her patience had paid off.

Finally, after weeks of tedious work, she had managed to do it, to create a stable matrix; she tested it four times before moving on to the initial recording phase. She programmed her likeness, and grinned like a fool when the holographic gate keeper, appeared, seeing herself staring back at her.

She had never been more proud of herself as she had in that moment.

She had done it. She had created a stable and functional holocron.

Many Sith made the attempt, and many failed, and if they did succeed, the holocron was unstable. There were plenty of tales throughout the Empire of unstable holocrons, and of the unstable creators of those devices. Those Sith had not been patient enough to make sure that the crystals were fully formed or in a proper alignment, such holocrons burned out after the first few uses, their knowledge lost, or given to a single dark lord to ponder, wasteful, in the greater scheme of things.

Keera smiled down at her creation.

The Avaryss holocron would not burn out, she had made sure of it.

This little device would carry her wisdom throughout the centuries, when it was fully finished; it would be a detailed account of not only her lessons, but of her reign as well.

It was an immortality of sorts, and she was justly proud.

Yet, as she looked down on the holocron now, she felt melancholy as well.

Her failing health meant that she would need to rush its completion; so much would need to be recorded in so little time.

It saddened her.

She could have learned so much more, given time. Her creation could have been so much greater.

She could have been so much more.

"It is not finished, yet," she told her little sister, "I still have many tales, spells, and rituals to include in its database. It will be my gift to future generations of my order."

She gave Talitha a sad smile.

"It should have been my gift to Beric's children, now…all is lost."

Tali looked at her, the girl radiating concern.

"Beric told us," she said, "About your condition…I…I'm so sorry, Keera. You deserve more than to be beaten by some sickness. You deserve so much more than dying so early in your reign."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

"My reign isn't over yet. I haven't given up; there is still a way to save myself."

The dark lord smiled a predatory grin.

"Perhaps I shall include _**that**_ spell in this holocron as well, let the future know how I cheated death."

"I'm sure you will sister," Talitha said.

Keera sneered at her; she could sense her sister's skepticism.

"Spare me your attempt at pity, and your desire to humor me. Believe what you want, but there ARE ways to cheat death. All it requires is the will to do what is necessary."

Keera smiled wickedly.

"You have seen the proof of this with your own eyes. Mother's continued presence in this world is proof of how the dark side is so much more than a simple weapon."

Talitha frowned.

"Mother's survival was a miracle. It was no trick of the Force?"

Keera laughed.

"Spoken like a mundane," she spat.

Avaryss took over again, she sneered at the girl.

"Tell me, Talitha Lylos, what is the Force to you? How would you describe it? I can feel its presence in you. So…what do you believe it is?"

Talitha Lylos smiled gamely.

"Are you testing me, sister?"

"Life is test. You either survive or you die. You have managed to survive up until this point, now I want to see if you have the understanding necessary to continue to do so."

The younger girl sniffed.

"You sound like those old hens from the Imperial Mission."

"I sound like a Sith Lord," Avaryss replied, "Go on, sister; I'm waiting, what is the Force? You tell me?"

The younger girl sighed.

"It is a power that makes a person great. It is how the Sith masters intimidate their rivals, shoot lightning from their hands, and lift and pull objects with the mind."

Avaryss sneered at her response.

"Wrong," she hissed, "Where did you hear such drivel from?"

Talitha's eyes narrowed.

"Mother taught me. Why you were flying around the plains on your swoop bike, I was at home, not just fixing droids, but learning at mother's feet, she showed me much about the Force."

Talitha reached out with the Force and snatched the holocron from Avaryss' hands.

She grinned coldly.

You are not the only one who knows how to use its power."

Avaryss frowned.

Mother had been training Talitha in secret.

She shouldn't have been surprised, still…

"Why you?" the Sith Lord demanded.

"What do you mean?"

"Why you Talitha, why did she train you, I was there too, I was older, why did mother never share any of this with me?"

"Isn't it obvious," her little sister asked, "Father."

"Father?" Avaryss said with a blink.

"You were always daddy's little girl, Keera. You were his sweet little blossom. It was he that you wanted to please above all others."

Her little sister sighed.

"You were always running around, trying to please him, you spent almost no time at home, not after you started working in the fields, it was father that you opened up, you rarely spent any time with mother, or Pamir, or Anj."

The younger girl shook her head.

"Mother never got the chance to see what you could do. You hid it from her, either on accident or on purpose, you hid, had she known what you were, she would have helped you, like she helped me."

Both Avaryss and Keera considered this.

"The dark lord sighed.

"If mother knew what you were, she should have given you to the mission," she said.

Talitha laughed at that.

"You think she wanted to let those foolish old priests decide my future? Where do you think it would have led if she had?"

"The answer to that question is sitting in front of you," Avaryss replied.

She smiled coldly.

"I am a Darth, a Dark Lord of the Sith! I am apprentice to one of the members of the dark council, one of the most powerful Darth's in the Sith Empire, and I will be so much more soon enough!"

Her younger sister sneered at her.

"Yes," she said, "You will be brain dead, or so crazed that you will not be able to tell the difference between what is real and what isn't."

Tali shook her head.

"You are sick, Keera. You are dying. Your only future is the grave."

Avaryss's fingers curled into fists.

"How DARE you?!"

For that one brief moment, there was blood in the air; Talitha continued to sneer at her older sister, while both Avaryss and Keera were tempted to lash out at her.

She understands so little, Keera thought.

If Talitha truly understood what she was, she would not be so quick to dismiss my plans.

In that moment, it was only the fact that they shared a mother and father that kept the Sith Lord from lashing out, kept her from destroying the girl.

Keera looked down at her hands, she felt…angry…and lost.

The sad fact of the matter was…that Talitha was not wrong.

I've given everything to the Empire, the dark lord thought, fought for it, because I've believed in it, and what has my reward been? How have I profited from my place within it?

My body has been scarred, maimed, and diseased. My master had me sterilized like I was some lowly cur in his service. The people that I loved were ripped from my life, and if they do return, it is as an enemy."

Fehl, Beric, and now Talitha and mother, they had ALL betrayed her! They had all left her alone!

She had given everything to the Empire. She had given all that she was, and what she might have been, and in return, it had given her nothing.

Nothing.

A single tear ran down her cheek.

I'm nothing, she realized. Despite my title and my power, my life is a joke!

I'm filth!

I'm nothing!

She shuddered.

No hope, she thought.

I have…no hope left.

I have nothing.

It is all a bad joke.

I'm a bad joke!

That thought should have broken her, but it didn't, if anything…it made her realize the truth.

It was a truth that she had been hiding from all these years.

She had been so blind, but now…she could see clearly.

She smiled slightly.

It had been hope, she realized, hope to have love, to have a family, and a future, that had held her back all this time.

For a Dark Lord of the Sith, hope was a poison!

Now that it was gone, she felt…empty, scoured clean.

She now understood the truth, why her master had chosen her all those years ago, why Feer had taught her the way he had.

Feer had no hope for the future; he manipulated her because when you had nothing, you had nothing to lose.

She felt…liberated, and in that moment she understood.

The entire galaxy was against her.

The Galaxy itself was her enemy.

She hated them

She HATED everything!

There was only one answer.

I will be a blight upon this treacherous galaxy, she thought.

All life will wither and die.

In that moment she felt the dark side flow into her like it never had before, it washed away everything, making her strong.

She felt her realization take shape, forming a new body for herself, a new…_personality._

She found herself staring at Keera and Avy, the two sides of herself; she was no longer a part of them, but something grander, something more!

"What are you," Keera gasped.

"You aren't real," Avy hissed, raising her hands.

"I am the future," the shadow said, its smile cold and merciless.

The shadow reached out and seized the two halves of her soul, the soul she no longer needed.

She didn't need a soul, all she needed was power.

All she needed was power, and her new mission.

Jedi, Sith, Republic, Empire, it did not matter.

She would destroy them all. She would build an Empire of bones; the galaxy would be one massive graveyard. The few survivors she spared would live in terror of her, and she would take everything from them, they would toil in darkness to feed her desires.

They owed her everything, and she would see that they gave her all!

She was more than a mere Sith now. She was the Lady of Greed. She was the Maiden of Forbidden Desire. She was the Mother of Horrors!

She was now truly…DARTH Avaryss, Dark Lord of the Sith, and Avaryss demanded a sacrifice.

She would offer up her weakness, her past selves, she would cast aside her own soul; she would kill it with her own hands.

She wrapped her fingers around them, the dark reflection of her; the two pieces of her soul and began to squeeze their throats. Avaryss the Sith Apprentice died first, she had been more fiction than actual person.

Darth Avaryss no longer had any use for her, so she died, her red eyes popped as the Dark Lord crushed her, and her spirit form turned to ash.

Keera Lylos lasted a bit longer, she struggled, trying to draw on the rage and loss she had suffered, tried to draw on her connection to others to save herself. She reached out through the Force tried to reach Fenn Shadowstone, to summon the Jedi to aid her.

Darth Avaryss broke her neck, Keera crumbled to dust, finally gone, the Force rippled outward, somewhere, Fenn Shadowstone; Keera's dream friend awoke from a nightmare, knowing that something he cared about had just died.

Darth Avaryss smiled.

At long last, she was free!

At long last, she was TRULY a Sith Master!

Only one thing remained…

Feer, she thought, the time had finally come.

She would challenge Darth Feer!

She would crush him utterly.

"Sister?"

Darth Avaryss opened her eyes, only a few seconds had passed since Tali's cruel comment, but it had been just what the Sith Lord had needed.

She smiled.

Tali had set her free.

I should reward her for this, the now united Avaryss thought, but how.

I know, she realized.

_Talitha would die __**first.**_

The thought excited the dark lord, but she held that excitement in check.

Wait, the darkness whispered in her ear, you must destroy every member of Talitha's foul cabal; none must escape to threaten your rule.

Yes, she realized.

_She would need to destroy them all._

_There would be no survivors._

She looked at Tali, seeing her for what she was, another stumbling block on the path to power.

She would enjoy sweeping it aside.

Hopelessness had made Darth Avaryss whole, whole and strong.

_She would kill an entire galaxy, and rule over the ashes._

"You have a harsh tongue, sister," Darth Avaryss said, "But you are also foolish and naïve."

"You think you're better than me, don't you, Keera?"

_I know I'm better_, the dark lord thought.

"Oh my, have I insulted you? She purred.

Talitha did not respond, perhaps she sensed on some level that something had changed in the young woman sitting before her.

Darth Avaryss shook her head.

Such weakness, she thought, and in my own bloodline too.

_The House of Lylos is full of traitors._

_She would enjoy purging it._

"You do not need me to insult you," she told Keera's younger sister, "You need a TEACHER!"

Talitha smiled.

"That is why you are here, Keera," the girl replied, "If you are feeling up to it, the others are waiting, mother is waiting."

"I'm up to it," Darth Avaryss said with a slight smile.

_You are not the only one that I'm going to teach today, little sister_, little traitor, she thought.

All will learn my lesson; it is the simplest thing in the world.

She almost laughed.

_I'm going to teach you all how to die._

Talitha handed her a robe, she wrapped herself in it, her belly still hurt, but the pain was nothing.

_There was no pain where the power lies._

"This way, sister," Talitha said guiding her.

Darth Avaryss slipped her holocron into her robe.

"I'm coming, dear sister," she promised.

She giggled.

Death was coming.


	57. The Test

**Chapter 57: The Test**

_Six years ago, a young woman left her home on a mission of vengeance. She swore to the Emperor to become a Dark Lord of the Sith or die trying…_

_That girl didn't understand the commitment she was making; she didn't understand that becoming what she wanted was no mere journey…but a metamorphosis. The dark side changes all that it touches, it changes people most of all._

_The girl suffered, she endured…so much pain and torment, so much was taken from her by her enemies, even those enemies that pretended to be friends, people that tried to deny her destiny, to convince her to turn away and find her way back to who she had been before._

Jedi, she thought with an angry sneer.

_They wanted to save me, that is what they said, but in the end, all they wanted to do was damn me, deny me the power that was rightfully __**mine!**_

She thought of the Jedi that aided her during the Battle of the Inferno Nebula, they had captured her, planned to take her back to their temple, to change her, and save her from herself.

They understood nothing. There was nothing wrong with her.

She was exactly where she wanted to be…exactly. They simply tried to steal her destiny; that had been a mistake.

No one stole from her…**no one!**

_They would pay for that! She would make them suffer, but first…she had many more enemies to slay here at home. A purge of the disloyal was called for…_

The young woman smiled.

Six years ago, a young woman had left her home, swore and oath, and began her great transformation, and now…that transformation was complete, the vow fulfilled.

She WAS a Dark Lord of the Sith!

And now…Darth Avaryss…was perfect!

She followed Talitha Lylos, saying nothing, watching all as she passed by. Evaluating the strength of her enemies, and yes…these people WERE her enemies.

When you were Sith…you were at war with the universe, anyone who tried to stop your rise…

Everyone was your enemy!

Perhaps her sister understood that on some level, she had offered Avaryss only a simple robe and slippers when they had left the medical bay. She had not returned the dark lord's armor and weapons. Her lightsaber and the Kuba venom poisoned dagger she had gotten over Pholis were not returned to her.

That choice showed that Talitha was not stupid, points for her, it was a smart move.

Her sister, Keera Lylos' sister, couldn't see the change, she still chatted with Avaryss like she was Keera, her beloved older sister.

She would find out how wrong she was soon enough.

"It is good that you have finally returned to us, Keera," Talitha said, "Mother has wanted this for so long. She has long desired that all of her remaining children be in one place, working towards a single goal.

In other words, her mother wished Avaryss to be yet another pawn. The Dark Lord had been a pawn for Darth Feer for almost five years.

She was done playing that role, but for the moment, humored the other girl, no reason to let her know the truth too soon.

She smiled.

"Yes, Talitha," she said in a silky, seemingly innocent voice.

"Today…will be a day long remembered."

Avaryss only just restrained her laughter.

_Foolish, rebel,_ she thought staring at the back of the girl.

_You have no idea what you have let into your sanctum!_

The Dark Lord had no goals…but her own! She would no longer play the part of the innocent dupe, not to her master, the Empire, not to anyone!

The galaxy was hers to torment now.

She would not be denied that duty…that pleasure.

She hungered!

There was so much power here.

She desired only to seize it.

Avaryss shivered, trying to remember her training, not to let those desires overwhelm her, she was not an animal after all. The dark side was very strong here, it was making her giddy. She was so tempted to act without thinking. It took all her will to hold that in check, but she managed….

Yes, she needed to be patient.

Everything would fall into place, soon enough.

Her eyes drifted to the walls around her; the corridors cut into the very rock, it was impressive to say the least. She could both feel and see the Sith Glyphs carved into the halls, more restraint casts, meant to keep this place hidden, to keep its power from flowing outward, and being noticed.

_Strange, _she thought.

_Why hide it? Why keep such a powerful nexus of dark side energy a secret?_

"What is this place?" she asked, "When I saw the medical bay…I thought I was on a ship, now it appears we are underground?"

"It is a bit of both, actually," Talitha informed her, "We are within a Sith temple built under the plains of Oridanna, probably constructed by the first Sith to arrive here, and hidden from the people, a well-spring of dark side energy for which those of us that were strong in the Force could draw on. The medical bay was part of a ship once, it crashed years ago, and was buried, hidden, and the temple expanded to link with the few functional bays that remained, the ship has been absorbed, it is a part of this temple now."

"I see," Avaryss said, with a hint of a smile.

"It seems that Oridanna still hides many secrets."

"More than you realize, sister," Talitha said proudly, "Mother will explain everything soon, you have my word."

"That will be nice," Avaryss said sweetly, "There is so much power here."

She almost giggled.

_I can't wait until it is all mine!_

The dark side had done so much for her, given her not only power, but prestige, but it also expanded her hunger. It had filled her with an almost insatiable desire for more!

I am truly Avaryss now, the dark lord thought, I am greed given form.

That change didn't trouble her. Once she would have feared it, once upon a time, Keera would have struggled, tried to stop, and think rationally…

Keera had been a fool. Avaryss would have tried to manipulate it, but she would never have gone far enough.

Darth Avaryss was different. She accepted the change; it was who she was now.

All that mattered was finishing what she had started. She needed to prove her new found superiority, she needed to slay her master and take his place, but first…she needed to survive what was coming. These people clearly had their own plans, she needed to discover what those plans were, either stop them, or turn them to her advantage.

Such was the way of the dark side, everything existed to serve the Sith, even Talitha Lylos and the ghost of her mother.

"How ever did you find this place," she asked, speaking in Keera's Oridannan accent, "If it was hidden by the first Sith to come here…?"

"I **didn't **find it," the girl replied, "The people that followed mother to Oridanna did. She had not been as successful as she had hoped in her flight from Dromund Kaas."

'What people?" the dark lord asked.

"See for yourself," Talitha said gesturing down one of the passage ways across from them; two figures were illuminated in the light of four torches; they were standing watch beside one of the doors.

Darth Avaryss' breath caught in her throat as she saw the two men, their crimson armor the color of dried blood in the torchlight. Their force pikes held at the ready, ready to meet any transgressor head on.

The Emperor's royal guard!

Darth Avaryss was shocked.

The Emperor's chosen…they were _**here?!**_

How?!

Why?!

She thought back to what Keera and Avy had discovered, the erased records, how so little information of Mya Lylos life had remained. It had been a mystery, a puzzle that she had not been sure how to solve…

Now she had found another piece.

The Emperor's guard was here!

The Master of them all might be dead, but his will clearly remained. It had been his office that removed any trace of Mya Lylos' past. Now his guards were here, defending this temple; this sanctum where Mya Lylos' daughter had hidden herself.

Avaryss knew the Force; she knew that there was no such thing as coincidence.

She was not sure how her mother fit into the Emperor's plans, but there was more going on here than a simple power play by Talitha Lylos and Darth Sadi.

Is this where the guard had fled to? She remembered well that they had fled Dromund Kaas after the Emperor had died. Had they come here to Oridanna to preserve this temple?!

She reached out with the Force, touching the minds of the guards. She sensed not only their iron will and sense of duty, but also the weariness of age, these were not young men, they had been here for quite a long time.

Interesting.

These men had likely assigned here, she realized, perhaps by the Emperor himself years ago.

"Did the guard expand the temple?" she asked, "Did they dig the tunnel to our home; that was that how you escaped the explosion the night our family was killed?"

Talitha's eyes widened.

"How did you know about the tunnel?"

Avaryss smirked.

"I am Sith," she said matter of factly.

Talitha was still surprised, but she did manage a sly smile.

"Your insight serves you well, sister."

The dark lord frowned.

"My lord," Avaryss said flatly.

"What?" Talitha replied.

"The proper way to address me, it is "my lord,'" Avaryss informed her.

"You expect me to address my sister, my own blood, like she is above me?"

Avaryss turned to her, her eyes cold, her anger radiating out like the heat from a star.

"You clearly want something from me, Talitha. Your mother wants something from me."

The dark lord gave her a venomous smile.

"The least you can do is show the proper respect."

She doubted that the girl understood how she had changed, suspected that she felt Avaryss' request was a matter of arrogance, but it was not.

She was so high above Talitha Lylos now. She had finally come into her full powers.

She deserved respect. She DEMANDED it.

"As you wish, my lord," Talitha said with a slight curtsey, "Hopefully you will come to see what mother, OUR mother, has to offer is more than mere titles, that you will come to accept that you are a part of something more, and move beyond your training, and accept your place here among your equals."

_Equals?_ Avaryss thought.

She had no equal, only superiors or underlings, the former consisted of very few; the members of the dark council, the latter were nothing but common rabble.

Talitha was nothing to her.

Avaryss had become…so much more.

"This way, my lord," she said, "We are almost to the main chamber, mother is waiting."

Avaryss nodded, eager to reach the end game, to see this threat to her rule ended.

_You have no idea what you have let in your front door, Talitha, but you will learn so enough._

_You will learn._

IOI

Talitha Lylos showed her to a small chamber off the main one, there were small peep holes cut into the wall.

"You should wait here for a moment," the scarred girl informed her, "Mother will summon you when she is ready. There are…matters that the leadership must discuss before we can bring you fully into our plans."

Darth Avaryss nodded.

"I take it I can watch from here," she asked, pointing to the peep holes.

Keera Lylos' younger sister smiled, her mouth twisting into a grimace because of her burned face.

"You should find what is about to happen most enlightening."

The dark lord nodded, still willing to play their game, for a little longer, anyway.

Talitha left her, radiating a sense of triumph, perhaps believing that everything was going her way; that all her plans were close to fruition.

She would know the truth soon enough.

Again Avaryss reached out with the Force, again she felt the high concentration of the dark side; this place had been locked away for so long, hidden for so long, the power that existed here was now very strong.

She shivered with anticipation.

Oh how she desired to take it all in, and unleash it on someone.

The darkness of this place begged to be unleashed, for a true master of the dark side to wield it.

She was tempted, so very tempted, but held herself in check.

Patience, she reminded herself.

Patience.

The hidden room that Talitha had brought her to was, once again, shielded against detection, whoever had built this place had been so determined to keep their secrets; they must have been on the verge of being paranoid.

She peered through the eye slits, curious what was on the other side. When she saw it, her breath caught in her throat.

The next chamber existed in perpetual twilight, it was dark, with only the barest sense of illumination, but the dark lord could still see, and what she saw…was…very familiar.

I know this place, she realized, I've seen it before…in visions!

She smiled.

Everything was starting to fall into place.

The eye slits opened into what looked like a throne room or audience chamber. The massive throne sat in the center of the room, cut from a piece of single black stone, sharp spikes rising from the back like the blades of swords... Four more royal guards stood sentinel; defending this place, and before the throne, lay ancient skeletons, bones wrapped in long-rusted chains.

The sight confused her

What was this? Had someone been sacrificed to consecrate this place, make it strong in the dark side? The ancient Sith had practiced the sacrifice of sentient beings to empower places like this, but…?

She reached out with the Force try to get a sense of what had happened here and also to get a better look at the bones.

She felt the echo of what had occurred long ago, she felt fear and defiance, power and rage. The bones had a story to tell, to one who was strong in the Force, and could hear it.

Again the Force offered her a vision, she saw six men being brought to this place, men of power, men of vision.

They were leaders, she realized, leaders of Oridanna, they had been brought here by the Sith long ago and…she realized something else as well…

She smiled slightly.

These men had _**not**_ wanted the Sith here, they had not wanted to accept the offer of Vaiken and the Emperor.

These men…they had tried to say no to the Empire.

The realization surprised her; there had been no mention of any dissension in the histories she had read as a child. The Sith had come and been accepted with open arms, they had protected Oridanna against its enemies, they brought security and order.

Why would the native Oridannans refuse?

_Do not be so childish_, she thought to herself, _you know people, and you know Sith propaganda when you hear it._

_Think like a Sith and not an indoctrinated farm girl!_

She nodded.

_Yes._

It made sense.

The leaders of Oridanna…they would not have wanted to give up their power, perhaps they had even had deals with the creatures that had preyed on their home before the Sith had arrived; they would have had an interest in seeing things stay as they were.

The Empire would not have tolerated that, they needed Oridanna's resources. After the holocaust the Sith needed Oridanna's food stuffs and medicine, Grand Moff Vaiken had been trusted by the Emperor to secure places such as this.

Of course the Sith would not have allowed a few dissenting voices to get in the way of that. The Empire may even have had deals with those men's successors.

Nothing could stand in the way of the Empire, or its goals.

No, Avaryss realized.

These men needed to die.

She could almost hear the screams, the men had not expected this, they had come to negotiate, only to be bound and slaughtered like animals before the throne, slain by the lords of the Sith that had travelled with Vaiken, the future Grand Moff had likely stood watch while those men were slain.

For the good of the Empire, the executions had been carried out.

It had been…necessary.

The former leaders of her home had been executed before this throne; they had died to appease the Emperor and what he was trying to build. This throne room had been important once, but once Oridanna had been brought into the Empire, it had been forgotten.

Now, once again, this place had a role to play in the history of the Empire. It once was the playing field of a much larger game.

Avaryss shivered.

She was looking forward to her part in such a game.

She heard voices approaching, not down the corridor that she had been brought, but through the main one, the one that led to the throne room.

"Things are moving quickly out in the galaxy Talitha. We must be ready to meet what is coming."

Avaryss scowled.

_Darth Sadi was here._

"You needn't concern yourself with such matters, master. We are as ready as we can be; everything is proceeding according to our design."

Bael Feer was here to, she realized.

Good.

Most of the players were here, ready to play their parts.

Avaryss watched as the three entered the throne room. Sadi was flanked by four bodyguards; Sith Marauders clad in black armor and mirrored face plated helmets. Talitha and Bael followed in her wake, walking hand in hand.

Disgusting, Avaryss thought, she remembered well what kind of boy Bael Feer was…

Seeing him behaving in such a way and around her little sister, it was infuriating!

But Talitha is not my little sister, is she, the Dark Lord thought to herself.

She was not Keera Lylos anymore. Avaryss was no longer a house divided.

The two had been made one, Keera's rage and vengefulness had been yoked, and combined with Avaryss' cunning mind. She was now the best of both worlds.

Darth Avaryss was far greater than what had come before.

She was…superior!

"You are right apprentice," Sadi said to Bael, "Everything is going my way."

The Lord of the Itae system laughed.

"I've informed Lord Feer of our victory. The rebellion is all but crushed on Oridanna! He is most pleased with our success."

"And what of Lord Avaryss," Talitha asked, "Has the lord asked after her?"

"Not yet, but he will," Sadi replied, her normally pretty smile was replaced by something colder, more cunning.

The Dark Lord had finally taken off her mask. She was no longer pretending to be a friend and ally to all that she met.

Darth Sadi grinned savagely.

"Now all that remains is to decide how best to use our dear departed Inquisitor. Shall we make her a hero, or should we pin the blame for the rebellion all on her?"

She laughed again.

"Either would please, Lord Feer, I think. He knows that his student was starting to plot against him, he will be most grateful to know that we have removed her."

Avaryss blinked.

_What?_

_Sadi thought her dead?_

Now she understood why Talitha had led her to this place, the glyphs hid her presence from the other Darth.

Avaryss grinned.

Talitha had been right.

What she was hearing was most enlightening indeed.

"How pleased is the dark lord?" Talitha asked Sadi, "This game is all for nothing if he does not move where we need him to."

"You need not worry about that, love," Bael said warmly, stroking Talitha's scarred cheek.

"My father is nothing if not predictable."

"Bale is right Talitha. Feer is predictable, and he is not above trying to claim the victory of others for himself," Sadi grinned as she regarded her two young companions. "He is coming here…to Oridanna, he is already on his way. He and the rest of the members of the dark council, only the ones dealing with Revan will not be in attendance, and they will likely be here by holo.

Avaryss could sense the other dark lord's excitement. She believed that she had the entire galaxy in the palm of her hands.

Avaryss' hands twisted into angry fists.

The woman knew nothing.

"What of House Avaryss," Talitha asked, "Are they going to be a problem?"

"You need not worry about Avaryss' pawns. Captain Lylos is doing his job," Sadi replied, "The loss of their leader has hurt them, but they do remain a threat, a small one, but it is still there. The inquisitor's senior apprentice had taken charge."

Sadi giggled.

"I don't think that the fool Devish realizes that it is over, that Avaryss has been removed from the board. Sooner or later, the apprentices will fight over their late master's holdings and I will be able to scoop up what is left when the dust clears. My dear pawn, Beric, will make sure of that."

Avaryss' eyes flashed with anger.

Beric, she thought.

She wasn't sure how Sadi had gotten her hooks into him, and she didn't care.

He would pay for his weakness.

She would make him pay…dearly!

The air around the throne changed, Avaryss felt a shiver run down her spine. The shadows above the throne changed. They seemed to swirl like an oil slick in an ocean, taking shape…

It is time, the dark lord realized.

Mya Lylos was here.

The Force spirit appeared out of the darkness, its yellow eyes blazing in the light, it flowed like smoke or water down the throne, radiating a sense of anger.

"I do not like the fact that you used my son is such a way, Sadi," it said in its disembodied voice, "Beric still has value you to me."

"He is unharmed," the dark lord said dismissively, "He is simply like my other pawns now, agreeable, and willing to do what I ask."

The spirit remained unconvinced.

"And what do you think Avaryss' servants will do to him when they learn the truth? You can say what you want about Feer's apprentice, but she knew how to cultivate the loyalty of her underlings."

"Again, there is nothing to concern yourself with; I've already drawn up arrest warrants for several of Avaryss' followers, Moff Galek will make sure that they are carried out if needed. Avaryss' fools will be neutralized, at least, the ones that won't sign on with us. Beric will offer any testimony that I require of him now, and besides."

Sadi radiated with satisfaction.

"I've already taken one of the woman's more troubling pawns."

Sadi gestured, and two Tahl Moritza droids came forward dragging in a wounded figure, dragging it, and tossing it at the foot of the throne.

Avaryss blinked, she was not sure who she was seeing at first, but realization came soon enough.

It was a woman, dark skinned with a shaved head, one of her eyes was blackened and blood leaked from a broken nose. Her strong arms were bound by manacles behind her back. She wore the remains of trooper armor, armor that looked like it had been through a war, that and the tattered remnant of a cape.

Avaryss knew who it was in that moment, though she had never seen the trooper without her helmet, and yes, it was most definitely…a her.

It was Bleez.

Beric had helped Sadi capture Bleez! Yet another betrayal…her anger at her brother, Keera's brother, continued to grow.

Avaryss shook her head.

At least she now knew what Bleez looked like under her helmet, not that she was pleased by what she was seeing. No.

This was not the way she would have wished to find out what the Warmaster looked like without her helmet.

Bleez, though beaten and bleeding remained defiant! She glared up at her captors.

"You will all answer for this," the trooper growled, spitting blood on the base of the throne.

"My master will see you all pay!"

Sadi chuckled and shook her head.

"Your master has been dealt with, Warmaster," Sadi said arrogantly.

She smiled and raised Bleez's chin with two delicate fingers.

"And after a few hours in my company, you will agree that all that dear Avaryss possessed should be mine. After all, her plans were just **my** plans, and the two of you did everything in your power to serve me and the Itae system, you were both my most loyal servants."

Through the Force, Avaryss could sense Sadi's Force enhanced charisma; it was powerful to be sure. It no longer had any sway on her, but she feared that Bleez would be vulnerable to it.

She need not have worried.

The Warmaster glared hatefully at the Lord of the Itae system.

"Kriff you," she spat at her.

Sadi, now insulted, slapped the bound trooper across the face.

"Such language," she said sounding miffed.

"You should not speak so to your dark lord."

Bleez didn't dignify the other woman's words with a response.

She simply continued to glare.

Bleez, at least still possessed a will of her own. For how long, Avaryss could only guess.

"Whatever shall we do with you, Warmaster," Sadi asked, "Shall we say that you died in the Empire's service, or return you after my will has done its work. Shall I return you so that you can confess your role in aiding the rebellion that I've crushed with my wisdom and courage?"

Avaryss snarled.

Her wisdom, she thought, her courage?"

The Dark Lord growled.

She had seen enough.

She turned and made her way towards the exit, towards the throne room. She passed by two more of Talitha's droids, the same type as the Tahl Moritza droid had been.

They made her shiver as she walked past.

These droids…they felt…strange…in the Force.

She was not sure what to make of that?

For the briefest of moments, Avaryss nearly hesitated. She considered what she was about to do.

She was about to confront the conspirators of this plot, not to mention Sadi's bodyguards, the members of the royal guard, and Mya Lylos' Force spirit.

She was most definitely outnumbered, weaponless, and Bleez was a prisoner as well, and in no shape to help her.

It was enough to give anyone pause, but…Avaryss was no longer simply anyone.

She was a Sith Master, a Dark Lord of the Sith.

Sadi didn't scare her, and neither did Bael Feer. The marauders that Sadi had brought were animals, nothing more; she could deal with them easily enough. The royal guard might have been a problem, but from what she sensed, these men were far from their prime.

Their feeble skills would be no match for the power of the dark side, not in this place.

This place belonged to the Sith, the TRUE Sith.

Darth Avaryss' eyes narrowed

Caution had its place, true, but hesitation could make someone's worse nightmares come true.

Avaryss no longer feared nightmares.

She WAS the stuff of nightmares.

Sadi would learn that, soon enough.

Dear Sadi, Avaryss thought, the Sith with the silver tongue. She had used it to ensnare Beric, and turn him against his own flesh and blood.

Keera would see her answer for that.

We will see how silver your tongue is, my lord," she thought to herself, "I will tear it out of your head and examine it for myself.

Then we shall see just how witty and clever you are.

The thought of such an act, the violence of it; it made Avaryss shiver with anticipation.

Sadi would pay for her role in Avaryss' humiliation.

They would all answer for it.

She passed by two more of her sister's droids, the Force…it flowed strangely around them…Avaryss could not put her finger on it, but they felt…wrong somehow.

What had her sister don? She wondered.

Droids were not alive; they shouldn't have a signature in the Force.

It was most strange.

She ignored it, what did it matter how Talitha made her toys. Plus not a one of them tried to block her passage.

Wise of them, she thought, in the mood she was in, they would be scrap if they tried to stand in her way.

Darth Avaryss had matters to discuss with the leadership of this conspiracy.

She would not be stopped now.

She put on her most winning smile as she stepped into the throne room, the guards noticed her, but did not move.

She cleared her throat loudly, making sure that her presence was acknowledged.

" A most interesting place you have here, mother," she called out to the Force spirit, "It is most lovely, add a carpet here or there, a banner behind the throne, a few more lights…I would call it home."

Sadi spun around, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Avaryss!" she gasped.

"DARTH Avaryss, Sadi," she replied with a warm smile, "We should always remember our manners should we not? Manners do remain important, even in such stressful times as these.

"Master," Bleez said, smiling.

"You are alive!"

"Alive and well rested, Warmaster," she said passing by the conspirators and their prisoner. She made for the throne without hesitation, the shock of her sudden appearance having left her enemies in a state of immobility.

She climbed the steps of the throne and sat down, immediately she felt the cold rush of the dark side, it felt like she had plunged into an icy lake, but there was no pain, only the grim acceptance of what was rightfully hers.

So much power here, she realized with a shark like grin.

So much power!

"A bit uncomfortable," she said to herself, "The ancient Sith must have had cheeks of durasteel, but…I can endure this seat, and the view from up here is so lovely.

The royal guards tensed, they started to raise their weapons, no doubt unhappy that she dared claim the throne for herself.

She turned to the closest, her eyes blazing with purple fire.

"TRY IT!" she warned, "See what happens!"

The Emperor's chosen tensed, but didn't attack.

She sneered.

They had been hidden away on Oridanna for too long.

They had lost their edge!

Mya's spirit swirled around her, her face appearing before Avaryss.

"This throne is not meant for you, my child."

"A Sith takes what is hers, mother," she replied, "An empty throne serves no one. I claim this seat because no one in this room is powerful enough to stop me."

The spirit didn't look happy, but it retreated, slithering back to its place between the throne's blades.

Avaryss looked down upon Sadi and her companions.

"By all means," she said dismissively, "Continue your plotting, I find it all…most enlightening."

Sadi glared at up at her, and at the spirit of Mya Lylos.

"What is the meaning of this," she demanded, "Why is she here?!"

Avaryss grinned down at her fellow Darth.

"You thought me dead, didn't you, my dear? Not surprising, considering you had Beric blast me belly…twice."

The dark lord leaned back on throne, drinking in the anger and hate of the past, letting her lift her up.

"I will confess, Sadi, I didn't see it coming. I let my feelings for Captain Lylos blind me to the truth.

Avaryss looked down at her mechanical hand, the crystals within were alight, glowing from the dark side energies of this place.

She ran a single crystal nail down the arm rest of the throne; the sound it made was grating, and satisfying at the same time.

She enjoyed the uncomfortable looks the others in the room had, by claiming the throne for herself, she had claimed dominance over them all, and she was just getting started.

The fun was just beginning.

"Bleez," she ordered, "Come stand by me."

She gestured, and the binders holding the Warmaster fell away. Sadi's bodyguards started to raise their weapons, but didn't attack.

Avaryss glared down on them, daring one of them to make the first move.

Sadi stopped them; likely wondering what was going on.

Bleez staggered to her feet, and joined her mistress.

"I fear…I'm not at my best, my lord," she said shaking her head, "Forgive my weakness."

"It sounds like we were both surprised, my friend," Avaryss replied, "You have nothing to apologize for."

She once again turned her attention to Sadi."

"So, what is the plan, my dear," she said, "You said that Darth Feer is coming here, that you have lured him away from Dromund Kaas."

Avaryss grinned triumphantly.

"Well done, I will make good use of that."

Sadi sneered at her.

"You don't realize where you are, do you?" she spat, "You think that you are in charge here?"

Sadi smiled coldly, her face turning into mask of barely contained rage.

"The reign of House Feer is done! The galaxy is changing, the Empire itself is changing! The Emperor is gone, and new leadership is needed."

"I couldn't agree more," Avaryss purred.

Sadi continued to glare at her, her rage building, she tried to reach out with her powers, to ensnare Avaryss and make her afraid and pliable.

It was nothing that the dark lord couldn't endure; she was no longer divided, fighting against herself.

Avaryss was one, and whole.

Sadi had no power over her now.

"When Feer arrives, he will find his enemies united against him," Sadi continued, "Mya has offered me her aid and power. Together we shall confront Darth Feer, and we shall defeat him. I will claim his seat on the Dark Council and his holdings as well."

Sadi laughed coldly.

"If you play along, maybe I will allow you to live, Avaryss, you can have a piece of my holdings, fall in line with the rest of your rabble, and I will be generous."

The Dark Lord smirked.

"You are no match for us," she said gesturing to those around her, "Despite your arrogance, I'm still willing to be merciful, girl. Submit, and serve me, and you will be granted a chance to live."

Avaryss said nothing she listened as Sadi droned on, she heard, but didn't really take the woman seriously.

She must be joking Avaryss thought.

She chuckled. She couldn't help it.

It was funny.

She laughed loudly, her mirth echoing off the chambered ceiling.

Sadi blinked, unsure of what was going on.

The spirt of My Lylos once again slithered down from the shadows; it looked at Avaryss with curiosity in its golden eyes.

"What are you doing, Keera?" it asked.

"What is so amusing?"

Avaryss continued to giggle, tears running down her cheeks.

"Her," she said motioning to Sadi.

The apprentice of Darth Feer shook her head.

"The fool actually believes that you brought her here for her benefit? She still thinks that you intend to aid her in her schemes."

Avaryss shook her head.

"You are not here because you are part of some glorious scheme, Sadi," she said, "You are just another test, MY test."

She looked into the eyes of her mother's spirit.

"Only the strongest deserves to lead, you know that, that is why you spared my life, why you healed me."

She glared down at Sadi.

"You need a Darth to make this plan of yours work, but you are unsure if Sadi is the one to bring it to fruition."

Avaryss smirked, her attention once again focused on her mother's spirit.

"You have wanted this from the beginning," Avaryss said to her, "you wanted me to prove myself to you, to prove my dominance."

She glared down at her fellow Darth, her rival.

"I can defeat her; her blood will be my offering to you, proof that I'm ready and willing to take the next step."

"What is this Mya?" Sadi demanded, "We had a deal! Help me deal with Feer's cur, and let's be done with it."

The spirit of Mya Lylos smiled; her golden eyes radiated a pleasure.

"Let the choice be made," she murmured, she turned to her younger daughter.

"Now, Talitha."

"Yes, mother," the girl replied. She gestured, called on the Force.

From behind the throne, something leapt into the air, into the air, and into the waiting hands of Darth Avaryss.

The young Darth smiled.

It was her belt, her weapons, both her poison dagger and lightsaber.

Avaryss rose before Sadi could strike; she wrapped the belt around her waist and drew her weapon, the crimson blade ignited with an evil hiss.

Sadi stepped back, her eyes widening, she drew her own blade, igniting it.

"What is this?" she shouted, "MYA! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

"It is a test," Avaryss purred, smiling cruelly down on her next victim, "my test."

She laughed a cold and wicked sound.

"Let us begin."


	58. The Apprentice

**Chapter 58: The Apprentice**

"Avaryss stop! You…you can't do this?!"

The dark lord grinned from ear to ear, a cruel smile…a predator's smile.

"Oh…really," she asked, "And why ever not?"

Darth Sadi began to back up, her guards shifting position around her, trying to stay between her and rival.

Avaryss could not stop the giddy giggle that escape her.

I_'ve waited a long time for this,_ she thought, _far too long._

She was looking forward to ending this shutta once and for all.

Meanwhile, Sadi was still trying to use her powers on her, Avaryss could feel the other dark lord's will reaching out through the Force, trying to influence her, to bend her mind to Sadi's will.

She wastes her time, Avaryss thought.

Once the dark lord had been a house divided, her great strength split between two personalities, and now…that battle was over. Darth Avaryss had full control over her powers.

She could feel the effect of Sadi's power, but there was nothing left within her to latch onto and twist, not anymore.

Avaryss understood now, the emptiness of the Sith, the strength of being free of hope, and giving herself complete to the darkness.

She was free, there was nothing that Darth Sadi could offer her, only the other Sith's life would satisfy her now.

Darth Avaryss was eager to claim it.

The rest of Sadi's conspirators watched what was happening, Bael had moved close to Talitha while Mya Lylos' spirit continued to swirl in the shadows above the now vacant stone throne.

Avaryss did not expect them to intervene, from her mother's reaction, she was guessing that the spirit had secretly wanted this, hoped that her daughter would take that extra step. If so, she would not be disappointed.

Avaryss had her own reason to want to end this witch.

"You don't want to do this, Avaryss," Sadi said quickly, "Think! Are you really thinking clearly? Your brother told me about your condition, I know that you are sick, can you say for certain that you have thought this through? Are you certain that your illness is not pushing you to make a choice that you really don't want to make?"

Avaryss considered that…briefly, but in the end, it didn't matter.

Sadi had turned Beric against her, she had had him shoot her in the stomach, twice, TWICE!

Such an insult needed to be answered, blood cried out for blood.

Avaryss would not be denied.

"Even if I wasn't sick, I would still do this, my lord," she replied, stepping down from the throne. "I've worked too hard and come too far to stop now, especially, when it is clear that this moment is what your allies have been building to…they have **wanted **to see us face off."

Avaryss chuckled mirthlessly.

"It is yet another test, that I must pass. The spirit wishes to see if I have what it takes."

Avaryss twirled her lightsaber in a gentle and lazy arc. Sadi and her guard continued to back up, the marauders stood between the dark lord and her prey. She could feel their rage, and their desire to protect their master.

_Marauders_, Avaryss thought with a sneer.

If Sadi had been smart she would have chosen Sith assassins as her bodyguards, marauders were decent enough canon fodder, but they lacked the coldness to truly focus on slaying their prey.

Plus, she could feel the four men's desire, they wanted to please Sadi, they wanted her gratitude, and her affection.

Avaryss shook her head.

They would never be able to match her now. Their hope to please Sadi limited them. They would never be as free as she was now, and they could no longer match her power.

_They were hammers and clubs, she was now a laser scalpel._

_She would cut them away; they were diseased tissue on the body of the Empire._

_She would __**enjoy **__doing it._

She grinned at the four guards.

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" she asked them, "Your leader is going to die. Are you sure that you want to share her fate?"

Sadi's eyes darted around the chamber, looking for allies, or perhaps a way out, her lightsaber was out and lit, but Avaryss didn't think she was ready for what was about to happen.

It was depressing in its way.

She had been hoping for a real fight.

How did this woman ever become a full Sith, much less a Darth?

Avaryss could feel her power, but was that all she was? If so…it was a great disappointment.

Maybe Sadi had never truly been in a real fight. Her mental powers always saving her from a chance of truly testing her skills, of testing her will.

Avaryss **knew **her strength. She had walked through shadow, and pain. She had faced her master's rage and petty cruelties, she had had no defense against them, but to endure. She had suffered and been left wallowing in pain and defeat at Lord Feer's feet. She had needed to pick herself up and prove to her master that she was strong enough to remain at his side. She had struggled and fought for everything she now possessed.

What had Sadi done but flatter and deceive?

Avaryss was determined to find out.

"You will not talk your way out of this one, my lord," Avaryss growled, "So step out from behind your guards. It is time to show just how strong you actually are. Prove to all that you deserve to be called…master."

Sadi glared at her.

"I've nothing to prove to you girl. I've earned my title."

She shot a desperate look up at the throne, at the Force ghost hidden in the shadows above.

"I've done everything you have asked, Mya. I've supported your little ruse. Would you turn your back on me now?

Sadi hissed angrily.

"You promised you would stand with me when I challenged Darth Feer. You said you would aid me in taking his place."

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

"If she needs your aid, then she has no use for you, mother," Avaryss called out, "I know Darth Feer. I've trained at his feet, and I know that I can defeat him."

She shook her head.

"Why seek out an inferior when you can have a true Sith Master at your side? I will not need your aid in defeating Feer, all I need is the opportunity."

She looked up and smiled.

"Let me prove my superiority, you don't need this one anymore." She said pointing at Sadi.

"I'm the one that will bring you victory."

The spirit remained silent, yet it continued to watch the confrontation happening below.

"Bael," Sadi snarled, "Fight with your master, today we will kill your father's pet cur."

Avaryss looked back and forth between Sadi and Bael Feer, between master and apprentice, she had assumed that Bael was completely under the other woman's spell, perhaps that was not the case.

The boy laughed and rested his head on Talitha's shoulder.

"You have been a good teacher, master, but I must confess, I've always enjoyed watching Avaryss here fight…"

The boy grinned hungrily.

"It will be good to see if you can defeat her, she seems to have grown quite…formidable."

Bael laughed.

"As Avaryss said, prove yourself, just as you have asked me to do so many times."

Sadi's face fell, she was starting to realize that what she had wanted, and what her allies had wanted were two entirely different things.

She should have realized from the very beginning…

…Never trust a Sith.

Darth Sadi, Dark Lord of the Sith, and master of the Itae system growled at Darth Feer's apprentice.

Avaryss shrugged.

Well, she thought.

Your move.

"It seems that I have no choice," she said shaking her head.

"Nope," Avaryss agreed with another lazy twirl of her crimson blade.

"Let us begin."

"Yes," Sadi said, her pretty mouth twisted into a pout, she raised her lightsaber and…

"GUARDS!" she shouted.

"KILL HER!"

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

"I should have known."

Four lightsabers ignited, and all four marauders plunged towards Avaryss their blades flashing, their faces hidden behind mirrored faceplates, but even that could not entirely muffle the enraged roar that escaped their mouths.

Avaryss quickly backpedaled, falling into her Soresu rhythm, the dark side sang within her as her saber flashed as it met her opponents, blade upon blade.

She was pushed back, but she was not afraid.

_They are all fire_, she thought, _they are almost tripping over each other, trying to get to me, to prove their worth to their shutta of a master._

As always the defender style served her well, she wove a wall of light between herself and her enemies, in time they would be able to wear down her defenses, but they were not that patient, two of the marauders broke away from the pack, broke away, and tried to get behind her.

Avaryss didn't let them.

She called on the dark side, and let her full power flow free for the first time.

She felt…invincible!

In that moment she realized just how much Avy and Keera's fighting had limited this body. How much it had taken away.

She was astounded!

She moved with a speed undreamed of. She had managed short bursts of speed before, but never enough to slow another Force user, now…

…she had become something far more than what she had been.

She had become something better.

The marauders slowed down to a crawl, she could have simply opened their throats were her blade, but she chose not to. She literally pirouetted between their strikes and slashes, delivering humiliating slaps and backhands; blows that both staggered and embarrassed Sadi's guards.

She laughed, but felt their growing frustration, frustration that would soon turn to fury.

_Enough playing around_, she thought…

…_Time to show off._

She closed the distance between herself and the guards, got inside their defenses.

She began the killing in earnest.

The first marauder she beheaded. The second she Force pushed away, while she seized the third by the arm, stopping his lightsaber mid-swing, she used her metal fingers to slash his throat, her crystal nails more than a match for the leather of his gamberson. She used the dying Sith as a shield, letting his fourth ally finish the deed; his blade carving the man in three nice pieces.

She pirouetted around him, and chopped him in the neck with her left hand, the metal easily breaking bone.

As the man slumped down, she was forced to spin around, a warning from the dark side.

Two of the royal guard had left their posts, they were firing on her.

She used Shien to send those bolts back, but the guards' armor held, she was likely not the first Force-user they had faced.

The distraction was all the two remaining marauders needed the one she had thrown back had recovered and was now in her face, his lightsaber spinning wildly, his roar filling her ears, enraged by the death of his two comrades.

The two royal guards took up position in front of Darth Sadi, their force pikes in their off hands, their blasters pointed at her, and at the ready. Avaryss noticed that their two brethren had not moved, neither had Bael, nor Talitha.

_Sadi must have gotten to them too,_ she realized, _the Emperor would have been disappointed to know how easily his chosen had been manipulated._

_No matter, they would not survive much longer._

She spun around the marauders and dashed straight at the guards dodging their blaster bolts as she went. Had these guards been young men they might have been fast enough to raise their force pikes and stop her charge.

Sadly, they were not young men, they had spent their lives here, defending this temple.

Avaryss bisected one with her lightsaber, the blade cutting him from shoulder to waist. She whirled around and drove the point of her blade through the eye slit of the second guard, his blaster firing wildly as her saber impaled his brain.

Sadi tried to take advantage of her brief distraction and blast her rival with lightning. Avaryss caught the attack on her saber, while she used the Force to yank the dying guard's blaster from his spasming fingers. Again, the marauders were there, their blades slashing down trying to either impale or dissect her. They were now too close to dodge anything.

**BLAM!**

**BLAM!**

The blaster Avaryss wielded barked twice, leaving scorched flesh where the helmet met the neck on both Sith Marauders.

Both men gurgled and fell to their knees their weapons falling from their hands.

Avaryss grinned as she dropped the blaster, it was not the most civilized way of dealing with a foe, but civility was for fools and Jedi.

_She was no fool, and never would be again._

Almost as an afterthought she beheaded the two warriors, their gasps and gurgles cut short by the flash of her crimson blade.

No more guards, Avaryss thought, no more tricks, it was just her and Darth Sadi now…

…now they would see who deserved to face Darth Feer.

Darth Sadi roared as she unleased a maelstrom of Force lightning from her hands, her fear turning to rage, giving the dark lord more than enough power to match, Avaryss' shield.

Avaryss cried out as the lightning found her, burning her flesh, she gritted her teeth and tried to fight through, but Sadi did not give her a chance.

The Lord of Itae leapt at Avaryss attacking viciously, her mastery of the one-handed variant of Makashi showing through.

Sadi was a whirlwind, her blade seemed to be in three places at once. Avaryss was hard pressed to meet the attack, both her skill with the dark side, and her knowledge of the defender's style was being put to the test.

So, she isn't all talk after all, Avaryss thought, good.

She wanted this battle to be interesting; if nothing else.

"I'VE WORKED TOO HARD FOR THIS!" the other woman shouted.

"I will not have everything I've won stolen by the likes of you!"

Her words amused Avaryss.

"You've been a pawn since the very beginning, Sadi," Avaryss growled, "Mya Lylos, Talitha, even Bael. They used you from the very start.

She shook her head.

"What has happened here was never about you, it was about me, and my family. They wanted me back here, and to lure Darth Feer away from the safety that Dromund Kaas offered him. You've played your part perfectly, but now the plan must move into its next stage."

Avaryss chuckled as she parried the other Sith's blows.

"That plan no longer requires your presence. You have been replaced!"

Sadi didn't seem to like hearing that at all, her pretty face twisted into something ugly, she howled like an angry Tukata.

Avaryss' oversensitivity to sound again came into play; the dark lord's head rang from the shear force of the other dark lord's scream.

Sadi kicked her and sent her sprawling, she barely struggled to her feet as the other lord's curved handled lightsaber came down and nearly bisected her.

Avaryss shook her head, trying to clear it, to get back into the fight. She tasted blood on her lips…her nose was bleeding again.

She looked up, seeing double, two Sadi's closed the distance between them.

Avaryss closed her eyes; and trusted in the Force.

She managed to dodge the lord's heavy strike, and even managed to parry a second blow aimed at her head.

Slowly, Avaryss began to be pushed back, Sadi's fury, her desire to punish her treacherous allies were now driving her blade.

So, the lord was not all talk after all, Avaryss realized.

At least her instructors had not been completely inadept, they had…

WHOA!

She barely dodged a chop at her head, only to spin around and be blasted by Force lightning, flinging her back, Avaryss turned her fall into backward roll, and once again found her feet.

She was panting now, her rage and desire to slay Sadi remained, buffering her strength, but the other Darth was not the fop she had pretended to be.

She was strong…in her own way, but was she strong enough?

Avaryss would need to find out.

Darth Sadi stood before her, equally out of breath, her pretty face was not so pretty anymore; her eyes glowed the golden color of a Sith, her face showing the signs of dark side necrosis.

Had she hidden the change behind a glamour, Avaryss wondered, or was she finally pushing herself for the first time?

I didn't want it to be this way," Sadi whined, "I wanted us to be allies Avaryss; I want us…to be friends."

"You wanted me to be your pawn," the dark lord snarled back.

Sadi gave her a cruel smile.

"It is the same thing."

Again, she lunged forward, her blade flashing out before her, and again Avaryss met the attack with Soresu, the defender's style doing its job. She continued to try and work Makashi strikes into her sequences but Sadi seemed to be anticipating those moves.

Avaryss felt the kiss of Sadi's blade on her left side, not enough to seriously wound, but it did set her robe on fire. The young dark lord spun away slapping at the flames, putting them out quickly.

Sadi leapt at her again, abandoning the caution of her early attacks, looking to take advantage and end this duel quickly.

Avaryss raised her mechanical hand, Sadi started to bring her blade down, likely hoping to sever the young dark lord's limb, just as Darth Terrog had done.

That did not happen.

Avaryss had learned from that loss.

Sadi's blade struck metal, cortosis weave, the plates of her rival's arm stopped the blade, given a second or two she might have recovered, and been back on the attack.

Avaryss did not give her that chance.

A blast of pure dark side energy flashed from the crystal built into Avaryss' palm.

Sadi's Oridannan gown caught fire as she was thrown back. She shrieked as she slapped at the flames, and tried to put them out, unused to the fire burning her pretty flesh.

It gave her rival a few seconds, but that was all that Avaryss needed.

Now, she went on the attack.

She switched to Makashi and drove the other Sith back. Sadi attempted another Force scream, but Avaryss slashed at her arm, turning her cry into a hiss of pain.

The two women continued to spin, strike and parry, neither one willing to give an inch.

Avaryss fought through the pain, not letting it distract her, if anything she was drawing strength from it. Her head throbbed painfully. Whether it was her sickness or some trick that Sadi was trying she could not say.

It didn't matter…not in the end.

She was going to kill Darth Sadi, end of story.

It was the end.

The lord of the Itae system, perhaps sensing the end was drawing closer, tried to flee, she began to back up towards the exit, seeking to leave the chamber.

Avaryss used the Force to fling debris at her, even parts of the bodies of her fallen guards. Sadi used the Force to push them back, but in doing so she left herself open to her rival. Twice Avaryss' blade kissed the other lord's flesh.

Sadi lashed out, but it was no longer with pure rage, panic was starting to work its way into the dark lord's actions. It was slowing her down, she was no longer feeding off the pure strata of the dark side.

Avaryss drank in her fear, it was as sweet as Oridannan spring wine.

"It doesn't have to end this way," Sadi shouted, "We can still be friends, we can do this together, Feer would not be able to stand against the two of us!"

"I don't need you to defeat my master," she spat back.

"You don't get it do you, Avaryss," Sadi said shaking her head, "Your brother is my creature now, and he has orders."

She laughed, she tried to make it sound superior, but Avaryss could still hear the desperation in it.

"He and I have already prepared a package for Lord Feer, proof that you were behind the rebellion from the very beginning, that you sought to use the trouble that has happened here to feather your own nest, and our master will believe it because it is coming from you own dear brother."

"Feer is not the sympathetic sort," Avaryss said with a shrug, "he will recognize the lie."

"But will he care, he would not mind an excuse to remove you and yours. You House will be named a cell of rogue Sith, Darth Feer and the traditionalist on the council will exterminate your allies, from the highest apprentice, to the lowest slave."

Sadi laughed fatalistically.

"You will lose everything, Avaryss. You and your sister will both be criminals, you will be hunted down like vermin. You should have realized that I would never have involved myself in this without arranging some type of insurance policy."

Sadi struck back, but her swings were not as crisp as they had been, Force exhaustion was starting to settle in.

It was almost over.

"But we can turn it around, my friend," Sadi promised, "We can pin the blame on Darth Feer, Bael will confess to that, that he discovered that his father created the rebellion to tighten his grip on Oridanna, and use it as spring board to take the Emperor's vacant throne."

Sadi grinned.

"We can stop it Avaryss, you and me."

Avaryss halted her attack. She was out of breath, but her purple eyes were glowing, blood flowing freely from her nose and mouth.

"Yes," Avaryss said in a dreamy voice, lowering her sword.

"We could do it," she agreed, smiling.

"We could do it, together!"

Avaryss' sword began to drop.

Sadi's eyes flashed.

She spun, almost too fast to see, too fast for anyone but another dark lord anyway.

She moved to decapitate her enemy.

KISH!

Avaryss' blade came up again blocking the other Sith's attack.

Sadi was shocked, she thought she had had Avaryss under her spell!

She was so shocked that she hesitated, just for a moment, a few seconds only…

It was enough.

Avaryss whirled around just as quickly.

Darth Sadi, Lord of the Itae system, gasped.

Avaryss snarled in excitement, enjoying the sound of her lightsaber as it cut through cloth and flesh.

She had impaled the other Sith, her blade buried to the hilt in the Dark Lord's belly.

Sadi gasped.

"Wh…what?!"

She looked down at the blade and up at Avaryss.

"You have just destroyed your life," the dying Sith gasped.

"Feer will destroy everything!"

"He took everything from me once," Avaryss said with a shrug, "He will not live long enough to do so again."

She pulled the blade out, Sadi coughed and fell to her knees. She looked up at Avaryss with a look of pure disbelief.

"You fool," she said, "You rage blind fool!"

Avaryss shrugged.

"Your concern is touching, my lord, but unnecessary."

she grinned triumphantly.

"Feer is coming to die, he just doesn't know it yet, all that he possesses will be mine. Including his seat on the council."

Avaryss chuckled.

"Then I will be so close to the throne, so very close."

"No one will be able to deny me then."

"No one."

Sadi held her wounded stomach, she was trying to stay kneeling, trying ridiculously hard not to fall.

"Help me," she gasped, "Avaryss! Help!"

The young dark lord shook her head.

"Still trying to save yourself, my lord, you and your silver tongue?"

Avaryss laughed.

"It is too late, my lord, far too late!"

She grabbed Sadi by the chin, forced the other woman to look up. Using the Force, Avaryss began to pry open the other woman's mouth, Sadi tried to resist, but her strength was failing.

"Now," Avaryss purred, "let us see…"

Sadi gasped, she tried to cry out, but it was no use. Her strength was failing.

There was a wet pulling sound, followed by a loud snapping. Sadi's cries turned into a pained gurgle, blood ran down her chin as her eyes rolled back into her head.

With a look of disgust, Avaryss kicked the body away, it fell in a heap on the temple floor, yet another sacrifice to the dark side.

Avaryss smiled, as she examined her bloody trophy, red and heavy.

Sadi's lying tongue was now hers, not that it was not much of a prize, now that she saw it.

The dark lord frowned.

"Not made of silver after all," she said dismissively, "Such a pity."

She threw the thing in the corner, probably to be devoured by vermin.

It didn't matter anymore, and neither did the late Lord Sadi.

She was gone, and best forgotten.

Avaryss turned to the others in the chamber, the two royal guards hadn't moved. Bael and Talitha stood together, both looked excited by the violence that they had just seen.

_I never realized my little sister was sadist_, Avaryss thought, she accepted it in Bael, but in Tali…

…disgusting.

Bleez had said or done nothing during the fight, the wounded war master had simply watched, she nodded to her master, no doubt pleased with her victory.

Avaryss nodded back.

She had wanted to destroy Sadi for a long time, and now…it was done.

"You have proven yourself worthy, my daughter."

Mya Lylos' spirit finally slithered back down from the shadows, it radiated excitement and happiness.

"At last, you have come home, and will aid your sister as I've always wanted. You will fulfil the destiny of our family."

"Our destiny," Avaryss said with a curious tilt of her head.

"And what is our destiny…exactly?"

The spirit beamed.

"The throne of course," the spirit informed her, "You are the rightful heir after all, and once you have seized it, it will fall to Talitha, once you've completed her training…."

The shadow spun around Avaryss whispering in her ear.

"There is no one else left, the Jedi made sure of that, one of their foul number destroyed all the others. You and your sister are all that remains, the last of a dying dynasty. A dynasty that is now yours."

Darth Avaryss, Dark Lord of the Sith, found that her head was spinning.

She was the rightful heir?

How?

Why?

She looked up at the spirit of Mya Lylos, of Mya Moritza.

"Who were you mother?" she demanded, "Who was Mya Moritza.

Her mother laughed.

"Can't you guess?"

Her mother's voice changed, it became more masculine, the features on the shadow began to morph, for a moment it looked like a Sith pure blood, and then like a human male, a very familiar looking human male.

Avaryss gasped, she felt the raw power that the ghost was connected to, the power to destroy worlds, and bring a hundred worlds to its knees.

"Your Majesty," she gasped, and dropped to one knee.

"My Emperor!"

The master of them all laughed, and faded, Mya Lylos' face returned.

"He is not here, my child, just a piece of his power, a small piece, but it was all I needed, just enough to come back, and prepare my children to take the next step and ensure that our family continued to hold the Empire together."

Avaryss nodded.

Yes.

She understood everything now.

Mya Moritza had been no mere runaway, no Dromund Kaas noble on the run. No. She had been something far more.

Avaryss shivered.

Mya Moritza, her mother, had been one of the Children of the Emperor, those few lucky souls trusted to speak with his voice and wield a small piece of his power.

The Children of the Emperor were no more, she knew that; a Jedi consular had destroyed them all, all but one, the traitor Kira Carson.

She was no longer fit to be among them, but if what mother's spirit said was true…

I…I am….?

Avaryss grinned.

_It is mine_, she thought.

_It is all mine._

She laughed.

The throne, the Empire, and the entire galaxy, it belonged to the one strong enough to take it, the last of the Emperor's progeny, those that had tasted his power.

Through mother's blood, that meant her, it was all hers.

Avaryss almost howled in ecstasy.

Empress Avaryss!

_IT IS ALL MINE!_

_MINE!_

"_**MIIIIIINNNNNNNE!"**_ she wailed to the heavens.

**MINE!**


	59. A Beautiful Nightmare

**Chapter 59: A Beautiful Nightmare**

"**You have passed the test, my daughter. You are the one who will lead our family into a new world; a dynasty that will last for the next thousand years!"**

Avaryss continued to laugh, she couldn't help it.

After all this time, all the years of pain and suffering, she had finally been offered something, something that she had desires for so long.

_The throne_, she thought hungrily, oh what a wonderful world I will create when I sit on the Emperor's throne. A world of limitless suffering and pain for those that even contemplate resistance, I will grind this pathetic galaxy beneath my boot, only the strong will survive, and even they will be subject to the most brutal of tests.

The thought excited her.

The Sith…the very galaxy would be remade!

She would bring…untold horrors upon her enemies!

The Emperor had never gone far enough, she realized that now. His limitations had brought dissention to the Sith, she would fix that. No other lord would dare wriggle beneath her heel, at the first hint of resistance, she would crush them.

They…were hers, this whole galaxy would be hers.

She would enjoy breaking it in, oh yes…she would enjoy it immensely.

Mother's spirit continued to swirl overhead; she could feel the satisfaction radiating from it. The shadow of Mya Lylos, in life, a Child of the Emperor, welcomed her daughter's rise.

_I will prove myself to her,_ the dark lord thought, _what happened to Darth Sadi was just the beginning._

Feer would be next, and then…the rest of this forsaken empire.

She noticed the others standing in the throne room. Bleez had finally fully regained her feet, her dark eyes radiating with pride, her very being speaking of loyalty. Avaryss would reward the Warmaster well in her new era. All that served her willingly would be elevated beyond anything they could imagine; their wildest dreams would come true.

All they would have to do, is ask for what they desired on their knees. The Empress would grant all to her chosen few, for they would be her heralds, they would make the galaxy hers.

They would still be tested, of course, but she would favor them, they would see the value of being under her approving gaze.

She smiled.

She could barely wait!

The support of the few remaining royal guards here would be welcome as well, they were a symbol of the old guard, and a sign of its acceptance of the new. Bael and Talitha were…

Her eyes narrowed as she watched them, she could feel the connection between them, how that had come to be she didn't know.

She didn't think she liked it.

"I will proof myself a worthy champion for the Sith, mother," Avaryss promised the spirit, "Once I've completed my grand spell, and ensured that I will live beyond what this mortal shell offers; the entire galaxy will tremble at the sound of my name!"

"Yessss," the spirit hissed, "The spell, your attempt to preserve your existence beyond your natural time."

The spirit slithered around her like a serpent, its touch cold, but at the same time comforting.

"You know longer need to worry about that, I've ensured our family's legacy. There is no need for you to live longer than you will."

Avaryss stopped in her tracks, her excitement for the future gone in an instant.

No…need?

What?

The spirt swooped away, settling on Bael and Talitha.

"The future of our family stands before you," her mother's spirit said, "Young Bael and Talitha will make sure that the fire of Lylos does not go out."

Bael Feer sneered at Avaryss.

"You need not worry anymore," he promised, "I'll make sure that your line continues."

Talitha giggled, she looked on Bael with…both love and desire.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

Gross.

She turned her attention to the spirit.

"I do not understand, mother. If I do nothing, if I let things progress as they are, I will be dead within a year, in two if I'm fortunate."

"Plenty of time," the spirit assured her, "Plenty of time to destroy Darth Feer and take your rightful place. Plenty of time to seize the throne and take your sister as your first apprentice, your heir."

The ghost smiled slyly.

"Plenty of time to complete your holocron, to leave your wisdom for future generations, to ensure that the name of Lylos is never forgotten, that it is only another name for unlimited power!"

Avaryss' frown deepened.

What was her mother talking about?

She didn't like this!

The spirit continued to radiate pride, but it no longer pleased the dark lord.

What her mother was asking…

…it was not what Avaryss wanted.

She deserved so much more!

"You have suffered greatly, my child," the spirit continued, "You have given up so much in your pursuit of greatness, so much has been taken from you."

The spirit shook its head.

"Those losses, not only the shortening of your life span, but your ability to reproduce has limited your value to the plan, but it does not take away what you have accomplished. You stand before us a true Lord of the Sith."

"No one can take that away from you."

No, Avaryss thought, you just want to use me as a stepping stone. All that I've done to secure my future, you would steal that from me, and give it to my dear sister, my sweet little sister and Bael.

The mere thought of it sickened her!

She knew what kind of boy that Bael Feer was, and she could guess what kind of man he was becoming.

Her mother would dare putting someone like him so close to the throne; to put him only two heartbeats away from the power of the entire Sith Empire!

That isn't right, she thought.

It is not FAIR!

The plan, her mother had said, not _**our **_plan. Has mother appeared to her sooner, shared what she was doing, Avaryss would have tweaked the plan just so, to ensure that she got what she wanted…what she deserved.

Right now, she didn't see that.

She saw the rewards that Bael and Talitha would have, but where did Avaryss fit into all of this?

Was she simply to be a figure head?

Would her role be only to win the throne only to hand it over it Talitha and Bael?

Where was the reward in that?!

Avaryss' anger continued to build, but she didn't show it, she continued to grin like an idiot, to listen as the spirit nattered on.

She needed to understand what had been planned, only then, did she have a chance to turn it to her advantage.

"I take it that this plan has been in place for some time now," she asked, keeping her true feelings hidden.

"Since the day that Talitha fled to this temple, injured, but unbroken."

"It was vengeance that laid the ground work for our plan, Keera," Talitha assured her, "Father, Pamir, Anj, they deserve to be avenged, as I'm sure you agree."

"Of course," Avaryss said, "Our enemies must be destroyed."

_It just remained to be seen just where you stand, little sister,_ she thought, _are you an enemy now?_

She smiled at Bael.

_If you stand with this little fungus, you might be._

"In death I came into the fullness of my power," the spirit informed her, "But I was untested, and weak. I could not leave the confines of this temple. Darth Feer's actions fed my strength, but I remained limited, and the guard stationed here did what they could for dear, Talitha, restoring her body and her strength."

"Yet as time passed, I realized that Talitha was not alone. That you still lived, Keera. I wanted many times to reach out to you, let you know that you weren't alone, but my strength was limited. I…was limited."

Avaryss continued to listen.

Be patient, she reminded herself, let the spirit speak.

_Give it more slack, more rope as it were…_

She smiled.

_More rope to hang herself with._

"I soon came to realize that you now belonged to Darth Feer. That the monster that destroyed our family had taken my eldest daughter and turned her into her pawn."

The spirit bristled, tendrils of shadow turned into blades.

"Again, I longed to reach out, but was too limited, our connection was never _**that**_ strong, my daughter. It was to dear Andur that you had grown close. I needed to wait, to both grow stronger, and for you to grow in power.

"Plus, I was Feer's," Avaryss said flatly, "You couldn't say how loyal I was to him?"

"Exactly," the spirit replied, "I needed to wait. I had to be sure."

"Only together would we have a chance of true success."

So, you say, Avaryss thought.

We will see.

"Feer continued to pillage our world," Talitha added, "The destruction of the free farmers, and the fall of the wealthy landowners continue to fuel the dark side on this world, making mother stronger, and giving me a taste of things to come."

Talitha smiled cruelly.

"Mother had talked about the power of the dark side, but I never really understood it, not until Darth Feer came into our lives."

Avaryss smirked.

"He took much from us, but gave us so much more."

Her response troubled her little sister.

"You admire him?"

"I admire his power, and his clarity of purpose," Avaryss answered.

"We should both be so lucky."

"I shared what I knew of the Sith with Talitha," the spirit said, "But my knowledge was limited, not enough to help your sister emerge as a true Lord of the Sith.

"If the Force was with her," Avaryss replied, "Talitha could have surrendered herself to the Imperial mission, they would have ensured her training, gotten her into the academy system. She would have learned much there, as I did."

"It would have been a risk," Mya Lylos' spirit responded, "I may not have been able to commune with you, but I could feel your torment, what you endured. I could feel your pain and suffering, daughter, several times you came very close to death."

The spirit shook her head.

"No, I could not risk it. Our line needed to continue."

Avaryss almost sneered at the spirit's answer.

_There was no reward without risk._ Yes, she had suffered greatly on her path to power, but each torment and hardship she survived had only made her stronger. It had toughened both her mind and her will.

The spirit had done Tali no favors by hiding her away here.

Avaryss looked at Bael.

"And where does HE figure into this?" she demanded, "Isn't Bael a part of House Feer? How did you manage to bring him into your plans?"

If her master's son was insulted, he didn't show it. He grinned at her like the fool she knew him to be.

"That was Darth Sadi's contribution," the spirit said, "Say what you wish about Lord Feer, but he does know how to build a powerbase. If we were to avenge our family, it was necessary to reach out and ensure that that base could be turned to our advantage."

"Sadi approached me on Korriban," Bael volunteered, "She introduced me to Mya, and to the opportunity that she offered, and…"

Bael smiled, he walked up to Talitha, and stroked her face, the non-scarred side of it.

"she introduced me…to you, my love." He purred, "And I will love you from this day, until my last."

Talitha blushed, at least it looked like she was blushing, it was hard to say in the low light.

She looked like she wanted to kiss Bael, she actually desired to.

Avaryss again felt like she wanted to throw up.

"while we worked to bring Bael into our circle, I finally had the strength to reach out to you. At first, I could only reach out to you during dreams, filling your head with the lullaby, the first real comfort I offered you when you were but a baby."

I heard it," Avaryss said.

The shadow smirked.

"Later, I was able to do more, whisper to you, remind you of who you truly were. I gave you the strength to reclaim your former life, and your former name. I reawakened Keera, because I knew, that she would help us, that she would want to bring glory to her family.

Avaryss nodded.

Things were starting to make sense.

So, it wasn't just her connection to Fenn that had brought about her split personality, it had been mother's manipulations, her lies and whispers gave rebirth to Keera.

I should have known, the dark lord thought, the moment that mother's spirit revealed itself, everything should have been clear, but it hadn't…

She had still been divided, caught between the Sith Hopeful and the Sith apprentice that she had been; only now…after finally killing both, and emerging as her true self, did she finally understand.

Like Darth Feer before her, Mya Lylos had tried to manipulate Avaryss for her own ends, and as a result, made the Sith Lord weak. Her failings as a commander during the war, her moments of mercy and compassion, those had been because of the divisions that the authority figures in her life had left, traps left to slow her rise.

The Dark Lord pursed her lips, she felt…shame.

_They made me weak._

She could accept that now.

_She __**had**__ been weak._

_She would never be so again._

Still, the spirit remained oblivious to the changes within her, an exploitable flaw if Avaryss ever knew one.

She almost laughed.

This would be most enjoyable!

Again, the spirit wrapped around her, she could feel its dark power, its hunger.

"I will offer my strength to you, daughter. When you confront your master, we shall both drink deep of vengeance long denied. Once we have destroyed him, Bael will assume power over the House of Feer, legitimizing our claim to all his father's holdings. You, Keera, shall then claim his seat on the Dark Council, as is your right."

"Then…you will convince the council to name you Empress," Talitha said, "With your control of the Imperial food and medicine supply, they will not be able to refuse you."

"The Empire will have a strong leader," Mya Lylos continued, "And from there you will take your sister as your first apprentice, moving her into position to claim the throne when your life ends."

Avaryss nodded.

It was an interesting plan, she had to give her mother and her sister that. Keera Lylos would likely even have agreed to it. She would have been happy to have her family back. She likely even would have been pleased that she wouldn't have to waste time seeking out a new body, content that Talitha could do the job, both as her apprentice, and as the next ruler of House Avaryss.

There was one only one problem with that idea.

Avaryss was NOT Keera Lylos, not anymore.

She had no damn intention of simply playing place holder and giving her hard-earned throne away, much less letting it slip into the hands of Bael Feer and her traitorous sister.

Avaryss sneered at the mere thought of it.

Her mother, for all her powers in death, clearly didn't understand the nature of the dark side, or the Sith.

No self-respecting Sith would ever give up her own power.

The mere thought of it was preposterous.

Even thinking about it annoyed her.

This was never about Keera, she realized, it was about the throne, that is all that Mya and her daughter care about.

The Dark Lord shook her head.

It seems that Darth Feer had been right.

The House of Lylos was filled with traitors.

They had deserved to be exterminated, every last one.

Avaryss no longer considered herself a part of the treacherous brood, the dark side had finally purified her, cleansed her of her connection to the filth that spawned Keera Lylos, and once she had taken her new body, she would no longer have any blood connection to them.

The Jedi had a saying, that those that wielded the Force were more than the crude matter that formed them. They were beings of light or shadow.

The dark lord knew what type of being she was, and she was grateful for that.

Soon she would cast off this diseased flesh.

She didn't care what Mya Lylos thought.

She would not abandon her destiny.

"So," she said politely, "I'm to train Talitha in the ways of the dark side, prepare her to train her children, the next generation of our family?"

"That is your place, my daughter," the spirit answered.

"I see," Avaryss said, "So…my reward for giving our family the Empire is to die painfully, and ignobly, to slip quietly into the madness beyond death, to fade from memory?"

Her mother's spirit hissed.

"I would not let you go to such a fate, Keera," she promised, "We would make sure that your body was laid to rest on Korriban, and then, I will help you across, aid you in finding your place in the realm of shadows, as I have done. Your shade would continue, you would rule over the dark side with the dark lords of old, advising the generations of Sith to come, the future rulers of the galaxy!"

She considered that; once again her mother painted a pretty picture, but…

Avaryss shook her head.

She also knew that her mother…was lying.

Now that she had embraced her true power, this place offered more than simply a place for the rebels to hide, Avaryss was touching the dark side so deeply now.

She could see her mother's true intentions, and they had nothing to do with making her into a dark side Force spirit.

Avaryss could almost see it, the moment when she died, killed by either Bael or Talitha, perhaps even both. She could sense her mother's spirit coming for her, not to aid, but to feed.

Mya Lylos, and the shard of the Emperor that preserved her, would feast on the dark lord's spirit. She would be absorbed, fed upon like she was some prey animal.

Mother could not afford to take any chances, Avaryss recognized that now.

She had her own agenda, likely planted by the Emperor himself, a means of continuing his rule. Avaryss' teachings would be twisted to fit those designs. The Empire would be theirs, and the legacy of the one that had put them there would be forgotten.

Avaryss, the true Avaryss, would be forgotten.

Not going to happen, she thought.

Fat chance!

She looked over at Bleez, it was strange seeing the Warmaster unmasked, yet the gaze in those dark eyes were almost as pitiless as the one seen by gazing at a trooper's helmet.

Bleez was no fool, she likely had reached the same conclusion her master had.

What the rebel leaders were offering Avaryss…it wasn't power, but servitude, she would be trading one master for another.

Darth Avaryss had had her fill of masters.

She would not bow to one again.

The Dark Lord smiled, she knew what she needed to do, but it still required a bit of setting up.

She reached out to Bleez through the Force, willing the dark-skinned warrior to be ready.

Bleez nodded, if she truly understood what her master wanted, the Sith Lord could not say.

They would see…soon enough.

"So," she said conversationally, "Feer will die?"

"Of course, the spirit replied.

"What else have we all been working towards."

"And what of my other apprentices," she asked, "they will not surrender their positions so easily."

Bael sneered at her question.

"An alien and two failed Jedi," he spat, "The three of us will crush them easily enough, and if not, Mya will have our backs. No one can hope to stand against us."

Again, the dark lord had to hide her disgust.

There were many accounts in the history of the Sith of multiple weaker apprentices attacking strong masters. The threat of that was why most Sith considered taking multiple apprentices as a challenge. Avaryss had met that challenge by keeping her students separate, giving them their own spheres of power. It had served well enough, they had grown protective of their own stations, and the rivalry born with their fellows prevented them from even contemplating an alliance against their master.

Dym was too fresh to her service, she could destroy him easily. Xen was too much of a slave to her desires, she would prove no threat. Necris was the only one that Avaryss was wary of, but even she was limited by her interests.

No, if Avaryss wanted to destroy them, she would not need the aid of others, the fact that Bael thought she did proved his lack of vision and his cowardice.

"It seems that we have all things figured out," Avaryss said, "there is only one thing that I need to know mother, one question that needs to be answered."

"And what is that, daughter?" the spirit asked, amused and pleased by her acceptance.

The dark lord smiled.

Mother would not be smiling much longer.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why, Keera?"

"Yes, mother, why should I aid you in any of this? I have my own plans, why do I need yours?"

The spirit's eyes narrowed.

"You forget yourself, child."

"No, I don't," Avaryss replied looking over at Talitha.

"You both ask for the wisdom and power of the Sith. You wish me to share all my secrets with you. You want me to place you in the succession of the Imperial throne. Any other dark lord would ask the same question, why should I? What it is in it for me?"

"Try that it is your duty to your family," Talitha responded, "The Empire needs us, we can end the chaos that has plagued the Sith since the Emperor's death."

Her sister gave her that crooked smile of hers.

"It is for the greater good."

Darth Avaryss almost laughed at that.

The greater good.

She had done many things as a hopeful that appeared to be the greater good. Now, she understood that those choices had been mistakes.

What did the greater good matter to a Lord of the Sith?

Both Bael and Talitha were glaring at her now, even mother appeared to be annoyed.

So, what, Avaryss thought.

They couldn't make this plan work without her.

Her question was not so out of line.

_How did she know that this wasn't simply a waste of her time?_

"You say you deserve to be my heir," Avaryss said to her, "Prove it, show me that you have what it takes to be my apprentice, and to sit on the throne one day."

Talitha's eyes narrowed, she radiated anger.

"You want to see,' she spat, "Fine, trooper she shouted, come to me."

One of the two remaining royal guards stepped forward, Avaryss watched curiously, wondering what her sister was going to do.

"Hold out your hand," Talitha ordered, the guardsman, used to obeying orders, did as she asked.

Talitha seized him by the arm, she murmured a Sith spell under her breath. Avaryss felt something jump from her sister to the man.

The guard gasped and staggered back. Talitha watched with cold glee.

"Behold…your answer, sister," she exclaimed.

"See for yourself."

Avaryss watched, her eyes widening.

Well…she thought, this was…different.

She grinned hungrily.

Delicious!

She had to give the old soldier credit, he didn't fall, though the pain must have been incredible!

As she watched his hand seemed to desiccate, to change, flesh turned to armor, veins to wires and tubes.

When the guard did finally cry out, it sounded more like a machine whirring, a droid with a bad vocoder shrieking out white noise, and then…it was over.

Bleez winced her own eyes widening.

"Emperor save us," she whispered.

Avaryss almost laughed.

She had finally come to accept that the Emperor would not save anyone.

The guard found his feet, not that he was a royal guard anymore, his helmet had fallen away, revealing a very familiar looking head, a droid head.

The dark lord laughed.

So, that was how Talitha had gotten so many of these…Moritza droids so quickly.

Once they had been people, now they were repurposed, servants of their master.

It had been a most enlightening display, and useful.

Now…there was one less guard in her path.

She looked upon her little sister with new found respect.

"You are a technomancer," she said with a nod, "Most impressive."

Talitha grinned.

"Thank you, sister," she replied.

"It is good to finally show another Sith what I can do."

Avaryss nodded.

She didn't even have to lie.

It was most impressive.

Though she had never seen the ability used before, she knew what technomancy was. She had read a book about it back on Fury 9. Technomancy was a rare Sith discipline, practiced mostly by a secretive sect of the early Sith Order, back when droids were still seen as an oddity, and not a tool.

Most of the Sith she had read about had needed to perform complex rituals to bring their technomancy to full bloom, and many of those spells were now lost to time, or hidden in the holocrons of covetous Sith Masters.

Talitha didn't seem to need those rituals, it seemed that she had learned to create her own techno-beasts without the aid of any special ritual.

As Avaryss had said, it was impressive.

"You see now, Keera," the spirit of Mya Lylos said, "Do you not see now why your sister deserves to rule?"

"Yes," Avaryss agreed, "I do understand now why my little sister shall have everything she deserves."

Avaryss motioned for Bleez to stay back, but at the same time eyes the blaster that the fallen guard had dropped.

The dark lord readied herself for what would come next.

She raised her arms.

"Kneel before me, Talitha," she ordered.

Her little sister's eyes narrowed, she looked up at her mother's spirit.

Avaryss frowned.

"A student must know her place," she said coldly, "Power has its price."

Avaryss gestured.

"Fall to your knees, and embrace me as your master! If you want my power, then…you must obey."

She gestured downward.

"A master tolerates no resistance! KNEEL! NOW!"

Talitha glanced over at Bael, who nodded.

He, at least, understood.

Finally, her little sister knelt.

Avaryss nodded.

Good.

"Now speak the words," Avaryss demanded, "Swear allegiance to me, embrace the dark side, and the power of your Sith Master. Speak the words and serve!"

Darth Avaryss smirked, she knew how hard it was to speak those words, to let go of your Sith pride and bow down.

Yet, without that acceptance, there was no apprentice, and therefore no future.

"What is thy bidding, my master?"

Avaryss beamed.

She did so enjoy hearing those words, they spoke of victory!

This time, however her victory was tainted.

She could sense Talitha's emotions, her desires.

All of the Talitha's thought were of the throne, how she would just bide her time, and wait for Avaryss to die from the sickness that was killing her. How she would just stand back and watch as her older sister did all the heavy lifting, and she could claim the ultimate reward.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

Talitha even dreamed of not letting her sister die, she dreamed of turning her into a Techno-beast, to serve as a mindless droid slave to her sister and her new husband, a conversation piece to prove that she deserved the throne.

Insolence, Avaryss thought.

ARROGANCE!

The girl had no restraint any other Sith Master would punish her harshly for her impudence.

Darth Avaryss was not like other Sith masters.

She smiled and stepped behind Talitha.

Your first lesson, my dear sister," she proclaimed, "Mark it well, and do not forget it."

"I will not forget, sister."

_But you already have_, she thought.

_You refuse to acknowledge me as master._

_I'm just a place holder to you, a font of wisdom to be used and discarded._

How **wrong** you truly are.

"The first lesson comes in two parts, I learned it well during my first trial of blood."

She leaned in closer, what she had to say was for her little sister's ears alone.

"Beware your apprentice," she whispered, "They will always seek to take what is yours."

Talitha nodded.

"I understand, Keera."

"Good."

"And the second part?" Talitha asked.

Avaryss smirked.

"That is even easier to remember."

She leaned in even closer, her lips almost touching her sister's ear, Tali leaned in eager to hear, so eager.

Avaryss shivered, so eager!

"My name isn't Keera." She hissed, "And…"

_**SNAP-HISSSSSS!**_

Talitha gasped, a puff of evaporating blood briefly stained the air.

Keera's little sister's eyes widened, she looked down in disbelief!

Avaryss' lightsaber had punched through her back, its blade burning away her heart as it punched through.

Avaryss' new apprentice looked upon her master with disbelief, she couldn't believe it, or understand.

And that…is why you fail, the dark lord thought.

"Beware…your master," she whispered in her sister's ear, she watched as the light faded from Talitha's eyes, felt her enter the madness beyond death.

Good, she thought as she pulled out the blade.

Very good.

The throne room was as silent as crypt as she pulled her blade from the girl's back. Bael, the remaining guard, even the spirit of Mya Lylos was stunned.

Avaryss sneered down at the would-be Empress, the now dead would-be empress.

"Congratulations," she purred, "Your training is now complete."

She shook her head.

She looked up at the spirit, her eyes glowing defiantly.

_Now_, Avaryss thought with a cold smile.

_We can begin!_


	60. No Hope

**Chapter 60: No Hope**

I feel…

Avaryss looked down upon the body. It was…different…

Thinking about the act, and dealings with the consequences was two entirely different things. As she looked down on the body, she felt…so many different things.

I feel…

She remembered Talitha as an infant, nursing while little Keera Lylos played with her toys in the corner. She remembered her little sister at five, taking apart their cleaning droid; curious how it worked.

The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed.

She thought about their final night, the last time that Keera had seen her years ago, threatening to take away her nine-year-old sister's tools if she didn't go to bed.

So many memories, and so many feelings…

She felt pain, disbelief, and guilt. She had known what she was doing, and yet…she still felt pain.

I…I feel…

It was in that moment, as she looked down into her sister's vacant eyes, that she felt something else, something far grander that she could have possibly imagined.

The pain remained, but the guilt passed away.

Hate.

Avaryss' hands curled into fists.

She felt pure white hate!

_**They **_had made this possible, the rebels, Bael and Mya Lylos! They had put her on this path. They had turned Talitha into a threat to her rule. They had made her a rival!

The dark side rushed in, filling her not only with new strength, but visions of what would have been.

The Dark Lord saw herself ascending to the Sith Throne, with Talitha at her side, but that was not all. No matter what she tried, her ascension would always end the same…she would die at her sister's hands.

Talitha betrayed her, in every vision. She stole Avaryss' power, and usurped her throne. The dark lord was not an Empress in her little sister's eyes, only a font of wisdom, a stepping stone to the throne for her and Bael, and their children.

She saw, in her mind's eye, the faces of those children, how they laughed at how foolish their aunt had been, how she had served her purpose and been discarded, a joke that amused their father and mother.

_I'm no joke_, Avaryss thought to herself.

_I…am __**death!**_

As the hate burned inside of her, any guilt or remorse faded, and was replaced by power, it…was a heady sensation, it was intoxicating!

Power, she thought...

…So much power!

Distantly, she could hear the words of a hero, a legend of the Empire.

_Kill what you love, do it slowly, and intimately, and you will achieve a power beyond your wildest dreams!_

_You will be…Sith!_

She took a shuddering breath.

_He was right_, she realized.

_Darth Malgus __**was right!**_

At the time she had thought the man a monster, but now she understood!

Love was a chain! Talitha would have used her sister's love to drag her down, it would have been her undoing! Love had almost killed her once already, Beric had shot her, she would have died!

The rebels had saved her, that was _**their**_ mistake.

Avaryss smiled.

It was…their _**doom!**_

She smiled, and began to laugh. She laughed at Mya Lylos' grand plan, at the future she had hoped for Talitha.

Avaryss had ended that hope with single stroke of her lightsaber!

All the ghost's planning had been for nothing!

Her mere existence was a bad joke!

Bad…but hilarious!

Avaryss found herself back in the throne room, looking down at Keera's sister's body. She was laughing, tears of mirth ran down her cheeks.

So foolish, she thought.

Poor little fool, only in the end…did she understand.

Bael Feer looked upon her with horror, she had never seen him look like that, he looked down at the body of his girlfriend and up at Avaryss.

The Dark Lord chuckled.

"Oh…what is the matter, young master? I…thought you liked watching me kill?"

She broke into giggles.

She couldn't help it.

The look on his face!

It was priceless!

"What have you done?" he demanded.

His eyes turned cold and angry.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

Her mother's shade came down from the throne, it swirled around her, shock morphing into panic and disbelief!

"Keera!" she gasped, "She was…I don't…"

Darth Avaryss sneered at them.

They understood so little.

They were about to learn.

"You had so many great hopes didn't you," she snarled, "Both of you? You saw me as a path to power. You thought I would just accept the fact that I was to be a place holder, that I was merely a door for you to gain what you wanted?! You thought I would simply accept my death, and let you pick my bones clean, that you would grow fat and happy off of my successes?"

Avaryss growled with barely contained fury!

"YOU PATHETIC FOOLS! THERE IS NO HOPE! THERE IS ONLY POWER! MY POWER! You all exist to serve me! My will is all! I will cheat death and then I will arise more powerful than ever! I WILL give this wretched galaxy, this wretched Empire the ruler it deserves."

She sensed Bleez coming up behind her, the wounded war master radiated only loyalty and a healthy dose of fear.

She at least understood the truth about the universe.

There was nothing beyond what her master said.

Avaryss almost smiled at the thought.

Avaryss was all!

She looked at the swirling spirit and the angry young man before her.

She glared at them. She felt only contempt, but they still did have value…

She would see if they were smart enough not to throw that value away.

"You both have one choice. Fall to your knees, and embrace me as your Empress! Your power will be used for one goal, the assurance of my continued existence. If you serve well, I will reward you in the new era. Resist now, and I will destroy you both!"

Avaryss laughed.

"Your plan was a joke, but it might still serve the future. Now, kneel before me, or die."

Bael's face twisted into a mask of rage, Avaryss could feel him gathering the dark side to him.

The fool, she thought.

It seems the apprentice needs one final lesson.

"You think that I would ever serve you?" he snarled.

"Not really, no," she replied dryly.

Bael was almost shaking, the dark side swirled around him. It was an interesting display, but it didn't intimidate the Dark Lord.

Her mother's ghost however…that was a bit different.

Mya's golden eyes blazed red.

"KEERA! YOU'RE A FOOL! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

"That I'm not Keera," she replied, "Keera was a dream, and now…I'm finally awake."

The spirit snarled, its twisting shadowy tendrils becoming more blade-like by the second.

"You aren't strong enough to cheat death, you pathetic child!" Mya spat, "You have destroyed the one chance we had to preserve the Empire! We were going to save our family, and the dynasty!"

Avaryss shook her head dismissively.

"The Emperor is dead, mother. What you are feeling isn't you, it is that last shard of him inside your soul, the one thing that preserved you, when you should have faded away."

Avaryss held out her hand.

The Children of the Emperor failed. The Emperor, himself, has failed. It is time for new ideas and new leadership. Yet, that piece of the Emperor, the power within it, not his will, still has value."

She smirked.

"You will surrender it to me, and you will finally go into the madness beyond death where you belong. You are nothing, merely a vessel that has brought me the final piece to the puzzle that is my ascension. The future belongs to the living, mother. You…are no longer relevant."

Avaryss sensed the change in the air, the tremor in the Force.

She almost shook her head.

So, it was to be war then?

Fine.

She was tired of talking anyway, her throat was a little dry.

Bael ignited his lightsaber, his eyes having gone the golden of the Sith. The spirit rose higher, its very being rippling with rage.

Let's do this then, Avaryss thought.

I have things to do.

Let us get on with it.

Mya Lylos threw back her head and wailed.

A wave of pure dark side energy exploded from her, an all-annihilating pulse of pure fury.

Avaryss didn't even try to run.

She was of the dark side now, truly, she was no longer trying to run from its power. She was merely a stone on the bottom of the ocean.

A stone didn't fear the wave that washed over it. She didn't panic, and try to resist, she simply let the power flow through her.

She was rewarded for her knowledge, the energy flowed through her, strengthening her even more. It was child's play to keep Bleez from being swept away. The Warmaster was her one true ally in this.

She would help the dark lord hold off the rabble, while she remained free to do what was needed to be done.

Bael Feer lunged at her, his heart boiling with the desire for revenge, he brought his lightsaber down again and again, and hit only air.

Avaryss smirked as she danced around him, her speed buffered by the energy she had just absorbed from Mya's attack. She pirouetted away from each of his strikes. The fool boy might as well have been unarmed.

"Oh, you will never avenge her that way," She mocked him, "you never did have good command of your blade."

She laughed.

"You must have been so disappointing to my dear sister, in both battle and…everywhere else."

Bael roared.

"DROIDS! GUARDS! KILL THE WITCH!"

"Bleez," Avaryss shouted.

"I'm with you, my lord."

Avaryss reached out with the Force and pulled one of the dead royal guard's blasters to her ally. As soon as Bleez had it in hand, she started firing. The droid who had been a royal guard a few moments ago exploded in a hail of sparks. Seeing an opportunity, Avaryss lifted the machine up, pulling it apart with her will.

The chamber door open, revealing more guards and Moritza style droids, more people that Talitha had tested her powers on.

Avaryss sent the debris shooting towards them. The remaining royal guards were smart enough to get out of the way, but at least three of the droids were shredded.

Bleez opened fire as she ran for cover, the war master scooped up a fallen force pike while on the run, using it to deal with one of the guards. The old men were skilled, but Bleez was young and in her prime.

They were no match for her.

Avaryss laughed.

She felt invincible, the dark side was truly with her.

None of these fools were a match for her now.

Bael continued to swing at her with that ridiculous curved lightsaber of his. His knowledge of Makashi was a joke. Even during her student years, she could have handled him easily.

She thought of Synestra Feer, she had given her word to try and save the boy.

She didn't see that happening now. Considering that she impaled his one chance to be more than a footnote in his family history, she doubted that he would accept any role in her new world.

Oh well, plenty more fools rattling around the Empire.

She still had not drawn her blade, she hadn't needed it.

She cuffed the back of his head.

"Pathetic," she hissed, "Try again."

He lunged at her, trying to impale her through the heart.

She side-stepped and slapped him across the face.

"To slow," she mocked, "Try again."

He wailed with tears in his eyes as he spun around and tried to blast her with Force lightning, his grief gave it some substance at least.

She merely raised her hand and absorbed it. She had always had a talent for energy manipulation.

She could have used it to end the fight right there, but noticed that two of the royal guards had Bleez boxed in, the Warmaster was fighting well, but…

She unleashed the energy she absorbed in a pure blast of dark energy.

It cut the two guards in half, as their bodies fell, Bleez leapt away, using her blaster to clear away any droids in her path.

Avaryss grinned.

So far, so good.

"YOOOOOU!"

The spirit had finally decided to intervene. It tried to stab her with its long-bladed tendrils, again Avaryss proved too fast. She backflipped out of reach of those tendrils. Bael pursued her, no longer thinking, just a raging animal too caught up in its own fury to be any true threat.

She sneered.

She was starting to get bored with all this. Maybe she should end it now, she…

"ENOUGH BAEL!"

The spirit encircled the screaming boy, he tried to resist as it poured itself down his throat, but was unable to do anything but gurgle pathetically.

Darth Avaryss narrowed her eyes, and ignited her blade.

This…might just be a challenge!

The spirit vanished; it had flowed entirely into the boy's body. Bael Feer shook his head, and met her gaze, his eyes now glowing like stars.

"The boy is mine, Keera," her mother said with his voice, "He has the skill to beat you, just not the direction."

The Bael/Mya thing laughed.

"Let us see how you fare now, peasant!"

Again, Bael lunged, but this time, it was not some mad dash, it was a precision attack!

Avaryss blocked it, falling into the rhythm of Soresu. Bael's lightsaber whirled faster than most could see.

The Dark Lord blocked his blows, but she could feel the power radiating from the boy now. The spirit was bolstering him, guiding his hand.

She glared at her master's son.

_No fair_, she thought, but at the same time, it made what was about to happen that much more enjoyable.

There was no reward without risk.

A disturbance in the Force made her whirl around, slicing through a droid head that had been launched at her. Soon she was caught in a whirlwind of debris, droid parts, lost weapons and loose rocks from the temple floor struck her bruising, and cutting into her flesh.

Armor would have been nice right now, but the pain didn't slow her.

Pain was an old friend, she could endure.

Bael brought his sword down, trying to force his way through her guard, the two Sith stood before each other, their blades locked.

She glared into the boy's eyes, they flared with a power that was not his own, she could feel her mother's presence, and the shard of the Emperor's will that had given her, her power.

"You could have been the Empire's greatest hero," Bael snarled, his voice overlayed with both Mother's and the Emperor's.

"Now you will die a villain, the greatest fool the Empire has ever known!"

Bael laughed at her.

"I do hope you are satisfied?"

She grinned back at him.

Villain, hero, savior, enemy, good, or evil, it doesn't matter to me what I'm called, you rodent. I'm Sith! I stand above such pathetic judgments. The galaxy doesn't define me."

She pushed him back and switched to Makashi. The duelist's style gave her a brief edge, despite the various cuts and bruises her anger continued to fuel her, her hatred.

She glared into the eyes of the thing that had been Bael Feer.

"You FAILED us!" she roared, "The empire needed its Emperor, and the Emperor chose to hide like a coward. We have come so close to defeat; our people need direction…and guidance."

She grinned.

"I will bring that guidance. I will destroy the Jedi and bring the Republic to its knees. I will bring order to the galaxy! I don't need your aid mother, or you…Your Highness."

She laughed coldly.

"Step aside grandfather," she sneered.

"The Empire has a new goddess, a Mother of Horrors! This Galaxy…its torment is just beginning!"

"You are delusional child," the Emperor's voice echoed from Bael's throat, "You are dying! Your body maimed and sterilized, all you will do is fall!"

"It is all a matter of will," she replied, "How far are you willing to go to survive?"

She raised her blade, bathing her skin in the scarlet light.

"I'm willing to do what is necessary. I'm willing to betray the universe itself to make my dreams a reality. How about you?"

Bleez opened fire on Bael, the dark side warned him, and he spun to meet the attack. Avaryss closed the distance and tried to take advantage.

The boy managed to parry the bolts, but had not been able to send them back at the Warmaster. He was forced to turn again, to try and meet the attack from Avaryss. He blocked her lightsaber, and they locked blades again.

He snarled in her face.

"You will pay for what you did to Talitha! I will, UGH!"

Bael pushed her back, his strength overwhelming her sending her to the ground; she rolled out of the way, and was on her feet again before he could follow up his attack.

She held her blade before her, her smile wide and hungry.

"Gotcha!" she laughed.

"Bang! Your dead!"

Bael looked down, a small cut ran across his upper chest, right over where his armor had protected him.

He sneered at her.

"It is just a scratch," he hissed, "You think I can't…can't…URRRRM!"

Bael Feer fell to knees and vomited, as Avaryss watched he emptied his stomach.

She grinned.

"Just a scratch," she taunted, "Right."

Bael looked up at her, his eyes wide the veins in his neck standing out. He was also starting to froth at the mouth.

"What? What did you…?"

She smiled and held up the dagger in her left hand, his blood stained the blade, that, and something else. She remembered Ro Wilkes warning, the danger of Kuba venom.

Not a pleasant way to go.

She chuckled.

"I got this during the Battle over Pholis. The poison on this blade is quite energetic. One scratch is enough to cause brain death in a matter of minutes."

She giggled.

"Who knew you had a brain to kill, Bael? I certainly didn't."

The boy gulped air, trying to stay upright. Avaryss felt the Force roar inside of him, trying to burn away the poison, the spirit of Mya Lylos might have been able to save him.

Avaryss didn't give it that chance.

She used the Force to yank Bael Feer forward, he flew towards her; like a target waiting to be shot.

She whirled around and drove her blade forward!

Bael Feer gasped as the lightsaber pierced his chest, its tip driven through his heart, and burning its way out his back.

He stared at her in horror.

She leaned in close and kissed his cheek.

"Heal that, mother," she cackled.

She pulled her blade out, and dropped into a new Soresu guard.

She didn't think for one moment that this fight was over.

Bael Feer staggered forward, his eyes pleading the glow of her mother's power was gone. He held up his hands, as if to beg for aid, for mercy.

She sneered.

There was no mercy.

Andur Lylos had received none, and now…neither did the son of Darth Feer.

Bael Feer took two more steps and then…fell forward his eyes rolling up into his head, blood and pink froth stained his mouth.

A shiver of delight ran down Avaryss' spine, she had wanted to do this for so long!

And then, she thought, there was one.

Bleez rose from cover and started towards her, but Avaryss stopped her with raised hand.

They weren't done, not yet.

The shadows around her darkened as an inky blackness flowed out of the body of the fallen boy.

It stood before her, flickering between the shape of Mya Lylos and a Sith pure blood.

The Emperor and his child, or what was left of them.

Avaryss shook her head.

You could say what you wanted about the Emperor.

He didn't know when to lay down and die.

"You have won nothing, child," the spirit growled.

"You _**are **_nothing!"

She held her blade at the ready.

"Let history be my judge. The future is mine."

The spirit laughed.

"You have no future."

She fired Force lightning at the spirit, but it passed harmlessly through it.

The Force screamed out.

Darth Avaryss was thrown against the wall behind her, hard.

Her Force shield held, but the attack was not over.

The Emperor reached out again.

The Dark Lord spun through air as she bounced from the ground to the wall, and back again.

It took all her strength not to break every bone in her body. Avaryss cocooned herself within the Force.

I can do this, she thought.

I can endure.

Finally, the shadow swarmed over her, its tendrils reaching out, snaring her arms and legs, pulling her upright. She tried to cut herself free with her lightsaber but the Force yanked it from her hand.

It struck the wall nearby, hit with such a force that it shattered, the weapon's component rained down, the crystals inside still flickering red.

Avaryss struggled, trying to free herself. She…

AHHHHHHH!

She cried out in pain, she looked down at her right hand. As she watched the flesh began to wither and rot, her fingernails fell away.

She howled, and tried to call on the Force to resist.

The spirit's face appeared before her, once again wearing the visage of Mya Lylos.

She shook her head sadly.

"I misjudged you daughter. It is a mistake that has extracted a heavy toll."

The spirit's brow furrowed with thought.

"All is not lost though, Beric still lives. He is a weak-willed fool, but with the proper guidance, he might just help us salvage some of our plan. It will take time, but…I will try to be patient.

Avaryss only partially heard her, her body continued to wither, her eyes dried out, and her vision faded.

A rasping cry escaped her throat.

She was quite literally being mummified alive.

She called out to the dark side, it was still with her, even as her life force was being drained.

Even though she had been left blind, she could still see, the spirit's face hovered only a few inches from hers.

"Such a disappointment, Keera, your father would be ashamed of you."

It took almost all her remaining strength, and her rage, but it worked.

She managed to tear her mechanical arm free of the spirit.

She reached up, and tried to grab the spirit, to take it by the throat.

Mya Lylos didn't try to back up, why would she. She was a spirit, and a spirit could not be affected by the living.

The crimson gem within Avaryss' palm glowed brightly, the stone that Necris had brought her, the gem that had once belonged to Exar Kun. It was glowing, awakened by the well spring of dark side power before it, drawn to the spirit.

The eyes of the spirit widened, two great glowing pools in a face of shadows.

Avaryss hissed in delight.

The spirit gasped, Avaryss had it right by the throat, or rather where the throat would have been had it been alive.

She had it, and she began to squeeze.

The gem of Exar Kun began to drink, to feast on the dark side energy.

Though her body was horribly withered Avaryss could still think, her tongue was useless, but she didn't need it, she called on her powers, casting a spell.

It was not life drain, but similar, Necris had tried to teach her how to feed off of death, and though Avaryss had never been really successful, in that moment she found a well spring of power that was almost pure dark side death energy.

The stone drank greedily, feeding its mistress with its power. Avaryss was blind, but she could see, her tongue was withered but could still speak through the Force. Her ears were a withered husk, but she could still hear…barely.

The death energy flowed into her, her cells drinking it up. It was a heady sensation, almost as painful as the draining of her life energy had been, but it was helping.

Avaryss could feel it, the dark power supercharging her cells. She could almost feel her body starting to regenerate.

It was an amazing sensation.

For the spirit, not so much.

It lashed out at her, but could not break her grip, Avaryss dug her crystal fingernails into the spirit, seeking to increase the draining.

Her body was starting to regenerate, she could feel it.

"Release me," the spirit howled, its face twisting back and forth between Mya Lylos and the Emperor.

"Unhand me, you little wretch!"

"No," Avaryss hissed through her mummified lips.

"I don't think so."

Through the Force, she could see the spirit starting to weaken, its tendrils shrinking and breaking away. Its very being was starting to shrink.

And still, she fed, the darkness within the ghost was a heady treat to be sure.

She continued to feed.

_I must have it all_, she thought to herself.

_I must be…__**ALL!"**_

"Keera," the ghost wailed, "Let me go!"

She didn't dignify its demand with an answer.

She would not stop now.

"PLEASE DAUGHTER!"

"HAVE MERCY!"

Mercy, Avaryss thought, mercy?

She laughed, a strange wheezing sound thanks to the destruction of her body.

_There was no mercy,_ she wanted to say.

_No mercy, and…_

…_no hope._

She could see herself in the Force, what the spirit had done to her.

It wasn't a pretty sight.

Her hair was gone except for a few grey wisps. Her red rimmed eyes looked like dried grapes in her eye sockets. Her rotted fingers now were able to grasp the dying ghost, aid in the stone in the robotic hand, adding more power to the spell.

Nearly dead, she thought, but not near enough.

Again, she let out another rasping laugh.

It was just a test of wills now, who was stronger.

She was pretty sure she knew what the outcome would be.

As the spirit raged, she got a sense of its past, what had come to be since Mya Lylos had been resurrected in this form. She could sense how far it had been drawn out into the galaxy, how it had tried, not only to influence her, but the galaxy as a whole.

And…she came to realize.

There was something more, something she had not seen when she had saw Talitha's survival the night that Darth Feer had burned their home.

She saw Mya Lylos, she saw her mother sealed in her room with little Anj in her arms.

Avaryss could feel her mother's panic, even as she tried to quiet the crying babe.

As she watched, she sensed the change come over her mother, the look in her eye, it was something totally different than anything she had seen before.

Mother had made a decision.

In that moment, it was the only choice she could have made, or at least, she thought it was.

She whispered in the tongue of the old Sith, whispering words that had not been uttered in almost a century.

She was casting a spell, Avaryss realized, she recognized some of the words and phrases.

She…

As Avaryss watched, her mother did something horrible, something unforgivable.

She put her hands around her child's neck, and began to squeeze. Anj's cries became frightened gurgles, she…she didn't understand what was going on.

But Avaryss understood.

Yes, she understood…very well.

Only death could pay for life.

Mya Lylos had made her choice, or perhaps the piece of the Emperor inside of her had made it.

She had chosen to live, but life required a sacrifice.

Her baby daughter was the price.

Avaryss hissed, if she had had the ability to spit, she would have done so, right in the eye of the ghost.

_**Anj was just a baby!**_

_**Mya had been her mother!**_

_**How could she?!**_

As a Sith, she understood, the life of a mundane meant little when it came to power, but…as a woman. A woman that couldn't have children.

**Burn spirit**, she thought to herself.

**Burn in the torments beyond death!**

Finally, Mya Lylos found herself on her knees, her shadowy form small and insignificant. Avaryss could feel the shard of the Emperor, the piece of his consciousness he had bound to his child's.

As she had told Mya, she didn't want the shard, only the power it possessed. Whatever was left of the Emperor could go to hell with his daughter.

Only his power was needed.

It was that that she would take.

"Unhand me," it squawked weakly, "I'm…I'm your Emperor! Your god!"

"No," Avaryss wheezed through mummified lips.

"There is a new god, now!"

"Keera," her mother's spirit whimpered, "Please!"

The withered dark lord leaned in closer. She wanted her mother to hear this, for this to be the last thing she ever heard.

The dark lord hissed with contempt.

"Go to hell," she rasped.

She reached down and into the spirit, she pulled out its dark nexus, its heart if you will.

She crushed it in her right hand, destroying the piece of the Emperor that had sustained Mya Lylos.

Her mother's face faded, the shadows slid away, and for the briefest of moments she saw the Emperor's face again, a face that also faded and was replaced with a skeleton made of shadow.

The skeleton collapsed, turning into black ash.

The dark side let out one final scream, and then fell silent.

The body of Darth Avaryss slumped to the ground, wheezing sounds emerging through her mummified nose and mouth.

Done, she thought.

_It is done._

She wheezed, the closest thing to a laugh she could manage at that moment.

_I win._

She could barely move; her muscles were all but destroyed. Her eyes were blind withered husks, but she could feel the power, inside her, what she had taken from the spirit was now hers. It was working on her body, regenerating her, healing her.

In time she would be whole again, in time…

_**PAIN!**_

She arched her back and let out a gurgling cry.

She lay on the ground, shaking, she couldn't move.

The part of her mind that occupied the Force remained distant, she looked down upon her own body and was…horrified.

_A seizure_, she realized, _I'm having a seizure!_

Bleez stumbled over to her, the Warmaster, held her, trying to keep her still, even forcing the hilt of a knife into her mouth, so she didn't choke on her own ruined tongue.

Avaryss suddenly felt…very light, like she was drifting away.

No, she thought.

NOOO!

IT CANNOT END THIS WAY!

She struggled to stay in that moment, to hold onto her shell.

She needed to hang on.

She still needed time.

She called out into the Force, looking for help.

And then…she slipped down into the darkness.

She slipped down…and then…

…nothing.


End file.
